Kim Young-hoon, the Minister of Labor in South Korea, issued a letter of apology to the family of Sok Heng, a Cambodian migrant worker who died under tragic circumstances while living in a greenhouse in freezing temperatures. The apology came after a recent Supreme Court ruling affirmed the government's responsibility for compensation to Sok Heng's family. In a Facebook post, Minister Kim emphasized that it is vital to offer heartfelt apologies alongside swift compensation, acknowledging the government's failure to ensure a safe working environment for foreign laborers.

Sok Heng was discovered dead in a poorly heated greenhouse on December 20, 2020, during a severe cold wave, after working at a farm in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province. The Seoul Central District Court had previously ruled in favor of Sok Heng’s parents in a damages lawsuit against the government, stating that proper oversight by labor inspectors could have improved the hazardous living conditions. The court concluded that the government did not fulfill its obligations under laws pertaining to the employment of foreign workers, which allowed for such tragedies to occur.

In his letter, Minister Kim expressed deep condolences and took the court's findings seriously, pledging to thoroughly examine working and living conditions for foreign workers in South Korea. He announced plans to redesign policies aimed at better protecting and supporting foreign laborers to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future, ensuring that the name of Sok Heng is remembered as part of the ongoing efforts to improve labor standards in the country.