폭염 속 사망한 라오스 노동자…“안전 차별이 또 다른 죽음 낳아”

South Korean labor rights groups are calling for a thorough investigation into the death of a Laos national who died from heat exhaustion while working in the fields in South Korea. The groups argue that the country's seasonal labor system contributes to the exploitation and death of migrant workers. The incident occurred when a 38-year-old Laos man entered South Korea as a seasonal worker in late May and began working in a rice field in the city of Jeju.

He collapsed in the field due to the extreme heat and was found dead the next day in a nearby bush, approximately 200 meters away. The highest temperature recorded in the area was 36.7 degrees Celsius. The delegation from the Korea Seasonal Workers' Equality and Improvement Coalition, along with the Just Transition Committee for Seasonal Workers, urged for a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the worker's death and for accountability of the employer and local authorities responsible for ensuring the worker's safety.

The groups also highlighted concerns about the broader seasonal labor system, stating that it primarily serves to fill labor shortages in rural areas rather than protecting workers' rights.