Reports surged more than sixfold in a month after the Ministry of Justice set up a dedicated call center line for foreign workers to report human rights violations.
According to the Ministry of Justice on the 5th, after adding and operating option 1 as a dedicated reporting number for foreigner human rights violations at the "1345 Foreigner Information Center" starting on May 27, 142 reports were received over a month. That is a 6.4-fold jump compared with the pre-dedicated-number monthly average of 22 reports.
The 1345 call center provides counseling and information needed for life in Korea to foreigners and ethnic Koreans in 20 languages. It offers consultations on visa and stay-related civil complaints and third-party interpretation services.
The Ministry of Justice on May 27 added option 1 as a dedicated reporting number for foreigner human rights violations to its counseling line. If a foreign worker calls 1345 and presses 1, they are immediately connected to a dedicated multilingual counselor to report or receive counseling.
The Ministry of Justice is also operating a Facebook reporting channel for foreign workers who have not activated a domestic phone number. Even when calls are difficult due to noise at business sites, they can safely seek help via text, photos, or videos.
Reports received will be linked to relevant agencies—including immigrant rights protection officers at 19 immigration offices nationwide, one-stop solution centers for crime victims, and village lawyers for foreigners—to support remedies for rights violations.
The Ministry of Justice said, "We will continue to create a human-rights-friendly living environment where foreign workers can live with peace of mind and do our best for swift remedies."