Labor ministry's welfare agency donates 8 million won to Ulsan migrant worker center

The labor ministry's Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service said Wednesday it donated 8 million won ($5,968) to the Ulsan Migrant Workers Support Center to help migrant workers settle steadily into the local community.

The donation will fund programs that help migrant workers and their families in Ulsan adapt to their new surroundings and find emotional stability, and part of the money will cover medical and rehabilitation costs for those who need urgent treatment after industrial accidents.

The donation followed a training session at the Ulsan center, where the service walked migrant workers through how to file for industrial accident compensation and unpaid wage guarantees. Workers at the session also received safety helmets inscribed with their names in both their native languages and Korean, part of a "Call Me by My Name" campaign that asks colleagues to address one another by name at work sites instead of shouting "hey" or "you."

The agency said it has carried out a range of support activities to help migrant workers live stably as members of Korean society, and this year worked with the Ulsan center on training and livelihood support that workers can feel on the ground in their communities.

"We will continue practical support so that migrant workers and their families can ease the difficulties they face in an unfamiliar environment and settle stably in the community," said Park Seung-heup, president of the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service. "We will keep working to bring reassurance and hope to all workers, including migrant workers."