"'South Korea plays a key economic role, but...' — IOM flags occupational injuries and exploitation among migrant workers", 19 May 2026

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) announced on the 19th that it had recently published the 'Labour Migration Pathway Country Profile: South Korea Edition' through its Asia-Pacific Regional Data Hub.

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The report noted that "labour migration plays an important role in South Korea's economic growth and in easing labour shortages; however, despite domestic labour law applying equally to migrant workers, protection-related issues continue to persist."

It identified labour exploitation, occupational injury risks in the manufacturing sector, and restricted access to social welfare benefits — including the Basic Livelihood Security Programme — as key concerns.