An Uzbek worker died on Wednesday after a 200-kilogram steel beam crushed him at a shipyard in Yeongam, South Jeolla Province, The Korea Times said.
It happened at 6:47 p.m. The worker, 23, was taken to hospital but declared dead, police said.
"A 200-kilogram steel beam welded to the stern of a ship in the making fell and hit the worker in the head," a police officer said. "He suffered a serious head injury. There were no vital signs when rescue workers arrived."
An investigation is under way. The victim was a legitimate employee.
There are from 70,000 to 100,000 Uzbekistan citizens residing in South Korea, employed mainly in construction, agriculture and industry jobs. With average wages at US$ 3,000-4,000 for foreign labour, South Korea is a “dream” employment destination for millions of Uzbeks.
