JAKARTA - Minister of Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (P2MI) Mukhtarudin ensures that the country is present and responsible for overseeing the fulfillment of the rights and insurance claims of Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI) Reza Valentino Simamora who died while working in South Korea.
Reza is a migrant worker from Medan, North Sumatra who was placed in South Korea through the Government to Government (G to G) scheme and worked in the fisheries sector with an E-9 visa.
"We share the deepest condolences for the death of the deceased. The state must not be negligent. The Ministry of P2MI ensures that all the rights of the deceased and his family are guarded until the end," said Mukhtarudin in a written statement, quoted by Antara, Sunday, February 1.
Mukhtarudin explained that the certainty of Reza's status as a procedural migrant worker was an important basis for the fulfillment of rights legally and responsibly. However, the mechanism for claiming insurance and social security for migrant workers in South Korea follows the system in place in the local country.
"The process of claiming and determining the amount of benefits is within the authority of the employer and related institutions in South Korea. However, the Ministry of P2MI continues to provide active assistance," he said.
Reza departed on March 24, 2025 and worked on Kim Chonghui's ship Garamho. The incident occurred on September 23, 2025 in Incheon waters. While on duty to pull the net, the rope holding the ship broke so that the victim fell into the sea and was reported missing.
After an intensive search, Reza was found by the Incheon Police in a dead state on September 27, 2025.
Furthermore, Minister Mukhtarudin said that the ministry is currently intensively coordinating with the Indonesian Embassy in Seoul and related parties to ensure clarity of the cause of death, to oversee the process of foreign insurance claims, and to trace the remaining salary and other rights of the deceased so that it can be conveyed to the family.
"We understand that uncertainty and delays in information are very burdensome for families. Therefore, we are committed to providing clear, periodic, and written explanations to heirs," he said.
Minister Mukhtarudin also emphasized that there was no allowance in handling this case, while emphasizing that all administrative processes on the Indonesian Government's side had been completed and forwarded to the relevant authorities in South Korea.
"This is not just an administrative matter, but the responsibility of the state in maintaining the dignity of migrant workers and their families. We will continue to monitor until the rights of the deceased are fully accepted by the heirs," he added.
The Ministry of P2MI has also provided direct assistance to the family, including the delivery of the body to the funeral process in Medan on October 5, 2025.
"The facilitation of the fulfillment of the BPJS Employment benefits for migrant workers is also what the victim's family has received, which is worth Rp. 85 million in accordance with the applicable provisions in the country," explained the Minister of P2MI.
The deceased's body was repatriated to Indonesia on October 3, 2025 using Garuda Indonesia GA 879 aircraft to be buried in the area of origin. At the time of repatriation, the family had received compensation and BPJS Employment rights.
Furthermore, on December 2, 2025, the Ministry of P2MI received a family complaint regarding the clarity of the mechanism and the time of payment of insurance claims and remaining salaries.
Currently, all claim requirement documents have been completed and accepted by the Indonesian Representative in South Korea. The next disbursement process is under the authority of the guarantor institution in South Korea, namely Suhyup Bank/NFFC, as well as the employer, with the supervision of the Indonesian Embassy in Seoul.
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