DILI, 25 June 2026 (TATOLI) — A Timorese migrant worker, Idelfonso Saturnino dos Santos, 32, died in a motorcycle accident in South Korea, with local authorities investigating the cause of the fatal crash.
According to the National Director of Overseas Employment (DNEE) under the Secretariat of State for Vocational Training and Employment (SEFOPE), João Correia, the accident occurred at around 6:30 a.m. local time while the victim was travelling to work. He had been employed in South Korea since 2022.
“The victim had already left his house but returned to retrieve something he had forgotten. It was on his way back that the accident occurred,” Correia told TATOLI on Thursday.
He said South Korean authorities are conducting an investigation and will provide further information to the Timor-Leste Embassy in South Korea once the inquiry is completed. The victim’s body is currently being kept at a hospital in South Korea.
Dos Santos initially worked for Hyunsusan, a company based in Seocheon County, South Chungcheong Province. In October 2025, he transferred to Songbeksusan in Gyeonggi Province, where he was employed at the time of the accident.
Originally from Baucau Municipality, Dos Santos was the eldest of eight siblings. He leaves behind his beloved wife and a beautiful daughter.
The accident follows an earlier case involving José António Rebelo da Silva, 29, who was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident in Seoul in 2024 and later died after four months of treatment at Daejeon Sun Hospital.
Related News: Timorese worker dies after motorbike crash in South Korea
Journalist: Alexandra da Costa
Editor: Cancio Ximenes
Translation: Filomeno Martins
