Supreme Court: "Daegu Environment Corporation and Responsible Officials Negligent in Supervision in 'Worker Death Accident'"

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The Daegu Environmental Corporation and its responsible personnel have been found guilty in connection with an explosion at a digestion tank at the corporation's facility, which resulted in the deaths of two workers on site.

On the 19th, the Supreme Court's 3rd Division (Presiding Justice Kim Jae-hyung) confirmed the lower court's ruling sentencing the Daegu Environmental Corporation to a fine of 4 million KRW and the site manager A (56) to four months imprisonment with a one-year probation for charges including violation of the Industrial Safety and Health Act.

The court stated, "There is no error in the lower court's judgment that it did not exceed the limits of free evaluation of evidence nor misinterpret the legal principles regarding the establishment of criminal liability for professional negligence resulting in death and violation of the Industrial Safety and Health Act."

A and the Daegu Environmental Corporation were indicted for failing to fulfill their duty of care in relation to the explosion accident at the corporation's Sincheon facility on October 26, 2016, which caused the deaths of two workers. At the time of the accident, the two workers were replacing piping on the roof of the digestion tank when the tragedy occurred. Fire authorities estimated that the explosion was caused by ignition of methane gas accumulated inside the digestion tank.

The first trial acquitted the corporation and A, stating, "It appears that the workers conducted unplanned construction using unauthorized methods, and there is no evidence to recognize criminal charges."

However, the second trial overturned the verdict to guilty. The appellate court pointed out, "There was insufficient safety training regarding the risks of using tools such as electric saws that could generate sparks and welding, and professional negligence was recognized for neglecting construction supervision by leaving the site without checking the work."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.