Employer sprays fire extinguisher at migrant workers for taking a break, shouting 'you sons of b——'

A seafood company owner who sprayed a fire extinguisher at Vietnamese migrant workers, accusing them of not working hard enough, has been booked by police.

The Goheung Police Station in South Jeolla Province said Wednesday it had booked the owner, identified only as A, a man in his 60s, on assault charges without detention and is investigating the case.

A is accused of discharging a fire extinguisher multiple times at two Vietnamese migrant workers he employed at a lodging facility in Goheung-gun, South Jeolla Province, at around 6 p.m. Saturday.

Video released by the Gwangju-Jeonnam Migrant Workers' Human Rights Network shows A shouting expletives — "You sons of b——!" — while spraying the extinguisher at the workers.

The discharge left fire-suppressant powder scattered across the floor of the lodging, as well as on bedding and clothing.

The migrant workers said they had been up since 2 a.m. catching octopus all day and were trying to rest when their employer flew into a rage and sprayed them with the extinguisher.

The victims went to a police station immediately after the incident to file a complaint against A. He told investigators that the migrant workers had not been doing their jobs properly, according to police.

The case has also prompted allegations of illegal overtime and unpaid wages, leading the Ministry of Employment and Labor to form a dedicated team to verify the facts and take protective measures for the affected workers.

The migrant workers have said they worked more than 12 hours a day but did not receive part of their wages.

Police are continuing to investigate the full circumstances of the incident based on statements from both the victims and A.