Myanmar Wife Demands Answers After Migrant Worker Dies Alone on South Korean Construction Site

The grieving wife of a deceased migrant worker from Myanmar is demanding answers and accountability after her husband died alone on a construction site in South Korea. Chin May May, 34, held a press conference outside SK ecoplant's headquarters, holding a portrait of her husband, Aung Min Woo, 37. She stated, "If the company had installed sufficient safety facilities, my husband would not have died."

Aung Min Woo, a migrant worker from Myanmar, was found trapped in a conveyor belt while working alone in a tunnel at a KTX high-speed rail construction site in Asan city on April 1st. Despite the principle of 'two-person teams' for public projects, this rule was not followed. Furthermore, there was no emergency stop device for the conveyor belt. The project was commissioned by the National Railway Corporation and constructed by SK ecoplant.

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My husband's death has left me feeling like a stone wall has collapsed and the lamp has gone out, leaving my future dark. No one should experience what my husband went through.

An activist from the Migrant Workers' Support Center, Lee Yong-deok, described the work as inherently dangerous, involving inspection beneath a moving conveyor belt on a narrow, curved surface without proper footing. He noted that dangerous tasks like operating the conveyor were often assigned to migrant workers from subcontractors.

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If the company had installed sufficient safety facilities, my husband would not have died.

Colleagues of Aung Min Woo corroborated the hazardous conditions. One coworker, identified only as 'A', expressed regret, saying, "I should have gone in with him. If there had been enough personnel, he wouldn't have died." He also highlighted the lack of communication devices like walkie-talkies in the tunnel where mobile phone reception is poor.

Chin May May, who arrived in South Korea two weeks after her husband's death due to visa issues, expressed disbelief and sorrow. "He went to work in Korea to support our family, his wife's family, and his parents. When I got the call about his death, I thought it was a lie," she said, her voice trembling. She described him as a "perfect husband" and a "great father" to their four children, known for his strong sense of responsibility. "I am also struggling, but I am trying to eat and sleep. Because I have to find out why my husband had to die," she stated.

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The work is dangerous. The structure requires inspection beneath the conveyor belt while it's running. The floor is not flat but a narrow curve, and he was working without footrests.

The labor union is negotiating with SK ecoplant and its subcontractors for an apology, compensation, a thorough investigation, and measures to prevent recurrence. The Ministry of Employment and Labor and the police are investigating potential violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act and the Serious Accidents Punishment Act, as well as charges of accidental homicide.

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I should have gone in with him. If there had been enough personnel, he wouldn't have died.