POCHEON, South Korea (AP) — Amid a sea of greenhouses near South Korea’s ultra-modern capital, hundreds of migrant workers from across Asia toil isolated and unprotected by labor laws. They do the hardest, lowest-paid farm work most Koreans avoid. The death of a Cambodian worker at one farm underscored the often cruel and illegal conditions facing migrant workers and revived decades-long criticism over South Korean exploitation of some of the poorest, most vulnerable people in Asia. Officials have promised reforms, but it’s unclear what will change. South Korea’s immigration policies are designed to keep out undocumented migrants and it is extremely difficult for legal workers to leave abusive employers.
