Diplomatic missions will now be able to file industrial accident injury claims in place of foreigners who work in South Korea. 

The Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service announced on Monday that it granted diplomatic missions in the nation the right to file such claims on behalf of foreigners who sustain workplace injuries. 

Previously, only the foreign workers’ immediate family members, labor attorneys or lawyers could file such claims in place of the workers. 

The agency said with the diplomatic missions filing such claims free of charge, foreign workers are expected to face less inconveniences such as language barriers while avoiding the risk of being exposed to illegal brokers and of being burdened by costs in selecting representation. 

With the surge in foreign workers in the nation, industrial accident injury claims filed by such laborers is also on the rise. 

According to the agency, the number of such claims filed grew nearly 26 percent from 2018 to stand at nine-thousand-543 last year.