{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,23]],"date-time":"2026-10-23T19:18:57Z","timestamp":1792783137117,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":41,"publisher":"Springer Science and Business Media LLC","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,21]],"date-time":"2026-09-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1789948800000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,21]],"date-time":"2026-09-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1789948800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"funder":[{"name":"Seoul National University","id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/04h9pn542","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"crossref"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["link.springer.com"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["J Immigrant Minority Health"],"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>The number of migrant workers for temporary labor has rapidly increased, alongside high mortality rates in South Korea. This study explores the occupational safety and health conditions of migrant workers employed under the Employment Permit System (EPS). Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 11 EPS migrant workers who had experienced occupational injuries and illnesses, supplemented by secondary data such as official government guidelines, administrative manuals, and relevant legislation. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The results are as follows: first, regarding migrant workers\u2019 perceptions of the workplace environments that contributed to occupational injuries and illnesses, four subthemes were identified: restricted access to EPS workplace information; assignment to small-scale workplaces; inadequate safety training; and nominally conducted safety inspections. Second, three subthemes emerged regarding the contexts that prevented migrant workers from appropriately responding to their occupational injuries and illnesses: inaccessibility of medical services; institutional barriers to the Workers\u2019 Compensation System; and lack of the right to transfer workplaces. Based on the results, this study highlights the importance of linking occupational health and safety policy with labor migration policy.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1007\/s10903-026-01997-7","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,21]],"date-time":"2026-09-21T13:56:03Z","timestamp":1789998963000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Occupational Injuries and Illnesses Under the Employment Permit System: Exploring Perceptions and Responses of Migrant Workers in South Korea"],"prefix":"10.1007","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6203-5247","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hayoung","family":"Lee","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-3755-1271","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Myung-Joo","family":"Kang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1830-0282","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Seung-Sup","family":"Kim","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"1997_CR1","unstructured":"ILO. ILO Global Estimates on International Migrant Workers: International migrants in the labour force Fourth edition. Geneva: International Labour Office. 2024. Available from: https:\/\/www.ilo.org\/publications\/major-publications\/ilo-global-estimates-international-migrants-labour-force."},{"issue":"2","key":"1997_CR2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"7","DOI":"10.13106\/jidb.2020.vol11.no2.7","volume":"11","author":"N Callinan","year":"2020","unstructured":"Callinan N. Exploring the effects of demographic transitions in Korea on migrant worker usage. J Industrial Distribution Bus. 2020;11(2):7\u201316. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.13106\/jidb.2020.vol11.no2.7.","journal-title":"J Industrial Distribution Bus"},{"key":"1997_CR3","unstructured":"Jones RS. Are foreign workers a solution to Korea\u2019s demographic challenge? Korea Economic Institute of America; 2023 Sep 14. Available from: https:\/\/keia.org\/analysis\/are-foreign-workers-a-solution-to-koreas-demographic-challenge\/."},{"key":"1997_CR4","unstructured":"Ministry of Justice. Statistics on Entry\/Departure and Foreign Residents [Internet]. 2025. Available from: https:\/\/kosis.kr\/statHtml\/statHtml.do?orgId=111&tblId=DT_1B040A5A&conn_path=I2. Korean."},{"key":"1997_CR5","unstructured":"Theresia M. Non-professional foreign worker quota for 2026 set at 191K: Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; Dec 23, 2025. Available from: https:\/\/www.korea.net\/NewsFocus\/policies\/view?articleId=284542."},{"key":"1997_CR6","unstructured":"Employment24. Employment Permit System [Internet]. 2026. Available from: https:\/\/m.work24.go.kr\/cm\/c\/f\/1100\/selecSystInfo.do?systClId=SC00000335&systId=SI00000332. Korean."},{"key":"1997_CR7","unstructured":"Ministry of Employment and Labor. Employment Permit System (EPS) 20th Anniversary White Paper. Sejong: Korean Ministry of Employment and Labor. 2024. Available from: https:\/\/www.moel.go.kr\/policy\/policydata\/view.do?bbs_seq=20241101417. Korean."},{"issue":"3","key":"1997_CR8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"284","DOI":"10.1016\/j.shaw.2024.06.001","volume":"15","author":"H-L Lee","year":"2024","unstructured":"Lee H-L, Kim J-H, Kang T, Lee G, Lee H, Kim HW, et al. Disparities in workplace hazards and organizational protection resources by enterprise size: a national representative study of South Korean manufacturing workers. Saf Health Work. 2024;15(3):284\u201391. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.shaw.2024.06.001.","journal-title":"Saf Health Work"},{"key":"1997_CR9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"004695802513902","DOI":"10.1177\/00469580251390282","volume":"62","author":"M-C Hwang","year":"2025","unstructured":"Hwang M-C. Unmet healthcare needs in unstable jobs: perspectives from low-skilled migrant workers in South Korea. INQUIRY: J Health Care Organ Provis Financing. 2025;62:00469580251390282. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/00469580251390282.","journal-title":"INQUIRY: J Health Care Organ Provis Financing"},{"issue":"1","key":"1997_CR10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"18","DOI":"10.1177\/2165079914565350","volume":"63","author":"H Lee","year":"2015","unstructured":"Lee H, Chae D, Yi KH, Im S, Cho SH. Multiple risk factors for work-related injuries and illnesses in Korean-Chinese migrant workers. Workplace health Saf. 2015;63(1):18\u201326. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/2165079914565350.","journal-title":"Workplace health Saf"},{"key":"1997_CR11","unstructured":"Kim S-S, Ryou H, Lee J-Y, Kang M-J, Kim K-H, Moon K-J et al. Research on Cause and Social Support System for Migrant Worker Deaths. Seoul: National Human Rights Commission for Korea; 2024. Available from: https:\/\/www.humanrights.go.kr\/base\/board\/read?boardManagementNo=17&boardNo=7610737. Korean."},{"key":"1997_CR12","unstructured":"Lee Y-W. Current Status of Occupational Injuries among Foreign Workers. Gyeong-gi: Migration Research and Training Centre; 2025. Available from: https:\/\/www.mrtc.re.kr\/data\/04.php?admin_mode=read&no=971&make=&search=&s_url=. Korean."},{"issue":"13","key":"1997_CR13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5430","DOI":"10.3390\/su12135430","volume":"12","author":"J-M Kim","year":"2020","unstructured":"Kim J-M, Son K, Yum S-G, Ahn S. Analyzing the risk of safety accidents: The relative risks of migrant workers in construction industry. Sustainability. 2020;12(13):5430. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/su12135430.","journal-title":"Sustainability"},{"key":"1997_CR14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","unstructured":"Lee J-Y, Lee W, Cho S-i. Characteristics of fatal occupational injuries in migrant workers in South Korea: a machine learning study. Heliyon. 2023;9(9). https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.heliyon.2023.e20138.","DOI":"10.1016\/j.heliyon.2023.e20138"},{"key":"1997_CR15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"933724","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2022.933724","volume":"10","author":"SJ Kang","year":"2022","unstructured":"Kang SJ, Hwang J, Kim D, Kim B. Factors associated with self-rated health among immigrant workers in South Korea: Analyzing the results of the 2020 survey on immigrants\u2019 living conditions and labor force. Front Public Health. 2022;10:933724. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpubh.2022.933724.","journal-title":"Front Public Health"},{"issue":"7","key":"1997_CR16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e0288375","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0288375","volume":"18","author":"P Bhandari","year":"2023","unstructured":"Bhandari P. Prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors among Asian migrant workers in South Korea. PLoS ONE. 2023;18(7):e0288375. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0288375.","journal-title":"PLoS ONE"},{"issue":"3","key":"1997_CR17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"267","DOI":"10.1016\/j.shaw.2023.08.001","volume":"14","author":"O Kwon","year":"2023","unstructured":"Kwon O, Song J-H, Kong J-O, Ma S-W, Lee YS, Ahn J. Occupational characteristics and health status of Vietnamese male migrant workers in the Republic of Korea. Saf Health Work. 2023;14(3):267\u201371. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.shaw.2023.08.001.","journal-title":"Saf Health Work"},{"key":"1997_CR18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Amit LM, Ultra VU Jr, Song YW. Link between migration status and occupational health and safety of Filipino migrant workers in South Korea. 2020. http:\/\/repository.biust.ac.bw\/handle\/123456789\/394.","DOI":"10.56899\/149.02.18"},{"issue":"2","key":"1997_CR19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"118","DOI":"10.5152\/pcp.2022.21162","volume":"32","author":"SR Acharya","year":"2022","unstructured":"Acharya SR, Moon DH, Shin YC. Depressive symptoms among migrant workers in South Korea amid COVID-19 pandemic. Psychiatry Clin Psychopharmacol. 2022;32(2):118. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.5152\/pcp.2022.21162.","journal-title":"Psychiatry Clin Psychopharmacol"},{"key":"1997_CR20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"351","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev-publhealth-040617-013714","volume":"39","author":"SC Moyce","year":"2018","unstructured":"Moyce SC, Schenker M. Migrant Workers and Their Occupational Health and Safety. Annu Rev Publ Health. 2018;39:351\u201365. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1146\/annurev-publhealth-040617-013714.","journal-title":"Annu Rev Publ Health"},{"issue":"2","key":"1997_CR21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"128","DOI":"10.15685\/omnes.2017.01.7.2.128","volume":"7","author":"JJ Shin","year":"2017","unstructured":"Shin JJ. A Transnational Approach to the Integration of Migrant Workers: With Focus on the Korea\u2019s Employment Permit System: With Focus on the Korea\u2019s Employment Permit System. OMNES: J Multicultural Soc. 2017;7(2):128\u201353. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.15685\/omnes.2017.01.7.2.128.","journal-title":"OMNES: J Multicultural Soc"},{"key":"1997_CR22","unstructured":"Kim MJ. The Republic of Korea\u2019s employment permit system (EPS): Background and rapid assessment. ILO; 2015. Available from: https:\/\/www.ilo.org\/publications\/republic-korea%E2%80%99s-employment-permit-system-eps-background-and-rapid."},{"issue":"1","key":"1997_CR23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1080\/26895269.2022.2129597","volume":"24","author":"V Braun","year":"2023","unstructured":"Braun V, Clarke V. Toward good practice in thematic analysis: Avoiding common problems and be (com) ing a knowing researcher. Int J transgender health. 2023;24(1):1\u20136. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/26895269.2022.2129597.","journal-title":"Int J transgender health"},{"key":"1997_CR24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4324\/9780203133026","volume-title":"An introduction to social constructionism","author":"V Burr","year":"2006","unstructured":"Burr V. An introduction to social constructionism. London and New York: Routledge; 2006."},{"key":"1997_CR25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"McCall MM. In: Miller G, James AH, editors. Social Constructionism in Critical Feminist Theory. New York: Routledge; 1993. pp. 181\u201393.","DOI":"10.4324\/9781315080505-9"},{"key":"1997_CR26","unstructured":"Ministry of Employment and Labor. Employment Trends of the Employment Permit System [Internet]. Korean Ministry of Employment and Labor. 2024. Available from: https:\/\/kosis.kr\/statHtml\/statHtml.do?orgId=118&tblId=DT_11827_N001&conn_path=I2. Korean."},{"key":"1997_CR27","unstructured":"LeCompte MD, Goetz JP. Sampling and Selection Issues in Educational Ethnography. 1982. https:\/\/files.eric.ed.gov\/fulltext\/ED217049.pdf."},{"key":"1997_CR28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","unstructured":"Morse J. Data Were Saturated.... Qualitative health research. 2015;25(5):587\u20138. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/1049732315576699.","DOI":"10.1177\/1049732315576699"},{"issue":"2","key":"1997_CR29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"201","DOI":"10.1080\/2159676X.2019.1704846","volume":"13","author":"V Braun","year":"2021","unstructured":"Braun V, Clarke V. To saturate or not to saturate? Questioning data saturation as a useful concept for thematic analysis and sample-size rationales. Qualitative Res sport Exerc health. 2021;13(2):201\u201316. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/2159676X.2019.1704846.","journal-title":"Qualitative Res sport Exerc health"},{"key":"1997_CR30","unstructured":"Ministry of Employment and Labor. the Employment Permit System Operation Manual Sejong. Korean Ministry of Employment and Labor; 2010. Korean."},{"key":"1997_CR31","unstructured":"Ministry of Employment and Labor. the Easy Guide to the EPS Sejong. Korean Ministry of Employment and Labor; 2019. Korean."},{"issue":"4","key":"1997_CR32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"589","DOI":"10.1080\/2159676X.2019.1628806","volume":"11","author":"V Braun","year":"2019","unstructured":"Braun V, Clarke V. Reflecting on reflexive thematic analysis. Qualitative research in sport. Exerc health. 2019;11(4):589\u201397. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/2159676X.2019.1628806.","journal-title":"Exerc health"},{"key":"1997_CR33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Lincoln YS, Guba EG. Naturalistic Inquiry. Sage; 1985.","DOI":"10.1016\/0147-1767(85)90062-8"},{"key":"1997_CR34","unstructured":"Ministry of Employment and Labor. The statistics of occupational injuries and diseases. 2025."},{"key":"1997_CR35","unstructured":"Kim S, Lee T-J, Jeong Y-SA, Study on Alternatives to the Employment Permit System. Seoul: Korea Labor and Society Institute, affiliated with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU); 2023. Available from: https:\/\/mihu.re.kr\/archives\/?vid=154. Korean."},{"issue":"Suppl 1","key":"1997_CR36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e005109","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjgh-2021-005109","volume":"6","author":"L Carruth","year":"2021","unstructured":"Carruth L, Martinez C, Smith L, Donato K, Pi\u00f1ones-Rivera C, Quesada J. Structural vulnerability: migration and health in social context. BMJ Global Health. 2021;6(Suppl 1):e005109. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/bmjgh-2021-005109.","journal-title":"BMJ Global Health"},{"issue":"3","key":"1997_CR37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1233","DOI":"10.1177\/01979183241287470","volume":"59","author":"W Park","year":"2025","unstructured":"Park W. State Brokerage\u2019in Migration Infrastructure: A Case of State-Led Multilevel Governance of the Employment Permit System in South Korea. Int Migrat Rev. 2025;59(3):1233\u201358. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/01979183241287470.","journal-title":"Int Migrat Rev"},{"issue":"2","key":"1997_CR38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5","DOI":"10.22539\/culpol.2022.9.2.5","volume":"9","author":"J Han","year":"2022","unstructured":"Han J. The Governmentality of Regulation on Workplace Change under the EPS and the Paradox of Constitution Review. Cult Politics. 2022;9(2):5\u201336. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.22539\/culpol.2022.9.2.5. Korean.","journal-title":"Cult Politics"},{"issue":"4","key":"1997_CR39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"999","DOI":"10.1086\/499509","volume":"111","author":"C Menj\u00edvar","year":"2006","unstructured":"Menj\u00edvar C. Liminal legality: Salvadoran and Guatemalan immigrants\u2019 lives in the United States. Am J Sociol. 2006;111(4):999\u20131037. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1086\/499509.","journal-title":"Am J Sociol"},{"key":"1997_CR40","unstructured":"Statistics Research Institute. SDG in the Republic of Korea: Progress Report 2023. Sejong: Statistics Research Institute, Statistics Korea."},{"key":"1997_CR41","unstructured":"Lee H-R. Bereaved family of Cambodian worker seeks industrial accident compensation. The Korea Times. Dec 20, 2021. Available from: https:\/\/www.koreatimes.co.kr\/southkorea\/globalcommunity\/20211220\/bereaved-family-ofcambodian-worker-seeks-industrial-accident-compensation."}],"container-title":["Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/content\/pdf\/10.1007\/s10903-026-01997-7.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/s10903-026-01997-7","content-type":"text\/html","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/content\/pdf\/10.1007\/s10903-026-01997-7.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,21]],"date-time":"2026-09-21T13:56:13Z","timestamp":1789998973000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/10.1007\/s10903-026-01997-7"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,21]]},"references-count":41,"alternative-id":["1997"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s10903-026-01997-7","relation":{},"ISSN":["1557-1912","1557-1920"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1557-1912","type":"print"},{"value":"1557-1920","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,21]]},"assertion":[{"value":"6 May 2026","order":1,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"30 August 2026","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"21 September 2026","order":3,"name":"first_online","label":"First Online","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"The authors declare no competing interests.","order":1,"name":"Ethics","label":"Competing interests","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Declarations"}}]}}