South Korea’s Dedicated Hotline for Foreign Workers’ Human Rights Complaints: Press 1 after 1345

By Juwon Kang, August 3, 2026

What’s new

• Ministry of Justice added a dedicated “Press 1” option to the existing 1345 Foreigner Contact Center specifically for reporting human rights violations, effective since May 27, 2026.
• Available in 20 languages, with a direct connection to a specialized multilingual counselor (no more navigating multiple agencies by issue type).
• New SNS/Facebook reporting channel (“Migrant Rights” page) added for workers without a Korean phone number or who can’t safely make calls (e.g., due to workplace noise).

---

Scope of covered violations

• Unpaid wages (임금체불)
• Assault/violence
• Sexual harassment/sexual violence
• Passport confiscation
• Forced labor

Target groups (visa categories highlighted)

• E-9 (Employment Permit System workers)
• E-8 (seasonal workers)
• E-6 (foreign entertainers)
• E-10 (foreign seafarers)
• Marriage migrants

---

Results so far

• Reports jumped from a monthly average of 22 (before) to 142 in the first month after launch — a ~6.4x increase.

Referral network Reports get routed to:

• Immigrant Rights Protection Officers at 19 regional Immigration Offices
• One-Stop Crime Victim Solution Centers
• “Village Lawyers for Foreigners” program (112 lawyers nationwide)
• Regional labor offices
• Human trafficking victim protection organizations

Link: https://viewer.moj.go.kr/skin/doc.html?rs=/result/bbs/214&fn=temp_1783386027681100