Lee Jae-gap: "Special Supervision of Primary and Subcontractors in Icheon Accident... Preventing Fires and Explosions at Construction Sites"

Workplace Safety Management Survey... Nationwide Construction Site Emergency Inspection
9.4 Trillion Won Reserve Fund for Special Employment and Freelancer Livelihood Support Passed at Cabinet Meeting
"Strengthening Protection for Vulnerable Groups in Employment Insurance Blind Spots... Committed to Legal Amendments"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] The government will conduct a special inspection this week to investigate the safety management status of both primary and subcontractors in relation to the Icheon logistics warehouse fire accident. It also plans to carry out emergency supervision and inspection of construction sites nationwide to prevent similar fire and explosion accidents.

On the 4th, Lee Jae-gap, Minister of Employment and Labor, held the 'Employment and Labor Crisis Response TF Countermeasure Meeting and Icheon Fire Accident Central Accident Response Headquarters Meeting' and announced this plan.

Minister Lee said regarding the Icheon fire accident, "In addition to investigating the cause of the accident, we plan to conduct a special inspection this week to examine the overall safety management status of the accident workplace."

He added, "Since the Industrial Safety and Health Act, which significantly strengthens the responsibility of primary contractors, has been enforced from this year, this special inspection will be conducted not only on subcontractors but also on the primary contractors, i.e., the construction companies."

He also stated, "We will conduct inspections on nationwide cold storage and logistics warehouse construction sites currently managed by primary contractors," and "Emergency supervision and inspection of construction sites nationwide will be carried out to prevent fire and explosion accidents."

Minister Lee said, "We will conduct thorough inspections and focus management on construction sites nationwide, including logistics and cold storage warehouse construction sites, where more than 50% of the work process has been completed."

Minister Lee Jae-gap of the Ministry of Employment and Labor is holding a briefing on livelihood support measures for COVID-19 vulnerable groups at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 30th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Furthermore, Minister Lee announced that measures will be devised to respond to the employment cliff and livelihood insecurity caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In this regard, on the morning of the same day, a supplementary budget of 940 billion KRW, which will serve as the funding for the 'COVID-19 Emergency Employment Stability Subsidy,' passed the Cabinet meeting.

The COVID-19 Emergency Employment Stability Subsidy is a livelihood support fund for special employment types, freelancers, small business owners, and unpaid leave workers who are in the blind spots of employment insurance.

Minister Lee said, "We will prepare without delay to finalize and inform the public of the detailed implementation plan, including the specific eligibility, application and payment methods, and timing of the subsidy, as soon as possible."

He added, "We will fundamentally strengthen protection for vulnerable groups in the blind spots of the employment safety net," and "We will do our best to revise the Employment Insurance Act, which is pending in the National Assembly, including the National Employment Support System and the application of employment insurance to special employment types."

He continued, "In preparation for economic and social changes after COVID-19, we will actively devise and promote measures so that all workers, including platform workers, freelancers, and small business owners, can be protected through the employment safety net."

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