The Ministry of Employment and Labor said Tuesday it will revise a textbook used to train migrant workers before they arrive in South Korea after it was found to advise them to "avoid revealing clothes" to prevent sexual violence.
The ministry acknowledged that the textbook used under the Employment Permit System contained “inappropriate” content in a section on labor laws, sexual violence prevention and victim protection.
“We plan to revise it as soon as possible,” the ministry said in a statement.
The response followed an exclusive report by the Kookmin Ilbo, which found that the 2025 edition advised foreign workers to “avoid revealing clothes and ask acquaintances to accompany them to prevent sexual violence.” The newspaper cited data provided by Rep. Shin Jeong-hoon of the Democratic Party of Korea.
The textbook also advised workers to “avoid going out late at night and, if unavoidable, seek help from someone they know.”
The ministry said textbooks for post-arrival training are produced and translated separately by designated training institutions based on ministry guidelines.
The institutions are evaluated annually and advised to make improvements when necessary, it said.
yunapark@heraldcorp.com