“Gifts can’t be comforting”… 2nd anniversary of the death of immigrant youth Kang Tae-wan from an industrial accident

Conference calling for a prompt investigation and punishment of those responsible to prevent similar incidents from recurring

(Jeonju = Yonhap News) Reporter Na Bo-bae = A press conference was held on the 10th to mark the second anniversary of the death of Kang Tae-wan (32 years old at the time), a young migrant worker of Mongolian nationality who died after getting caught between equipment while moving construction equipment, demanding a thorough investigation and punishment of those responsible.

Kang's bereaved family and the Jeonbuk Migrant Human Rights Network held a press conference in front of the Jeonju branch of the Ministry of Employment and Labor and claimed, "Even though it has been more than two years since the serious accident in which Kang Tae-wan lost his life after being caught between a 10-ton construction machinery equipment and an excavator, the Ministry of Employment and Labor's investigation has not been completed."

They said, "After the accident, the head of the Jeonju branch of the Ministry of Labor said that he would identify the cause and reveal who was responsible as quickly as possible, but the word 'speedy' is meaningless. While the investigation is delayed, the death of the deceased is forgotten, responsibility is obscured, and the dangerous working environment that threatens the lives of workers continues."

He added, "The Ministry of Labor should no longer delay the investigation and clearly reveal the cause and responsibility of the accident," and urged, "Severely punish those responsible, and thoroughly supervise the workplace and take measures to prevent recurrence to prevent the same accident from recurring."

Kang's mother, Enk Jargal, who attended the press conference, said, "During Chuseok last year, I received a gift from the President's Office to comfort the bereaved families of industrial accidents. But the gift could not be a comfort. Only a world where precious people like Taewan never die in industrial accidents again will comfort me."

He added, "Please make sure the Ministry of Labor thoroughly explains why the accident happened to our son, find the person responsible for my son's accident, and ensure that he or she receives appropriate punishment."

Udaya Rai, chairman of the Migrant Workers' Union, also said, "There are many migrant workers working in industrial sites, and they have the right to work in safe working conditions," and urged, "The Ministry of Labor to conduct a quick and thorough investigation so that there are no longer employers who do not care about safety and life."

He immigrated from Mongolia to Korea with his mother when he was 5 years old, received a regional-specific visa, and worked as a researcher at a special-purpose vehicle manufacturer in Gimje. However, on November 8, 2024, eight months after starting work, he died after getting caught between equipment at this factory.