Employment Minister: "Special Quarantine Inspections at Over 1,200 Foreign Manufacturing Workplaces by the End of August"

Presided over the Employment and Labor Crisis Response Task Force (TF) Meeting on the 19th
Discussed Manufacturing Workplace Quarantine, Industrial Accidents, Workplace Harassment, and More

Minister of Employment and Labor An Kyung-duk (right) presiding over and speaking at the "Employment and Labor Crisis Response Task Force (TF) Countermeasure Meeting" at the Government Complex Sejong on the morning of the 19th. (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] Amid growing concerns over the spread of the 4th wave of COVID-19, Employment and Labor Minister An Kyung-duk announced on the 19th that "special quarantine inspections will be conducted in about 1,200 manufacturing foreign employment workplaces in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice until the end of next month."

Minister An made these remarks during a task force (TF) meeting on employment crisis response held that day. The agenda discussed at the TF meeting included ▲employment trends ▲workplace quarantine ▲launch of the Occupational Safety and Health Headquarters ▲workplace harassment, among others.

Minister An emphasized that since the special on-site inspection period in the metropolitan area has been extended from the 1st?14th to the 15th?23rd, the quarantine status of workplaces will be thoroughly checked. For manufacturing foreign employment workplaces found to have weak quarantine measures during the special inspection, local governments will be immediately notified for strict action, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing will be linked and implemented. He stressed, "We must focus our efforts on protecting workplace quarantine and workers' safety with the mindset that 'COVID-19 quarantine' is essentially 'job quarantine.'"

Minister An also reported that following the launch of the Occupational Safety and Health Headquarters, the control tower for the Serious Accident Punishment Act, an on-site inspection of about 3,500 construction sites nationwide on the 14th revealed that "seven out of ten" sites had inadequate safety measures. Among the approximately 3,500 sites inspected, about 2,500 were found to have violated basic rules such as not installing safety railings. Minister An stated that immediate corrective orders were issued for parts that could be improved at these workplaces.

Minister An urged, "Local office heads should ensure that workplaces with significantly poor safety management are linked to (Occupational Safety and Health) supervision so that risk factors can be thoroughly improved." He added, "We will continue to promote on-site inspection days to ensure that basic safety rules are strictly followed in industrial sites and minimize traditional accidents such as falls and entrapments." On the 28th, an on-site inspection day focusing on entrapment will be operated, and from next month, unannounced surprise inspections will be conducted.

Regarding workplace harassment, he encouraged local offices to actively guide employers to take necessary measures. Minister An said, "If the employer's response is insufficient even after guidance from local offices, separate investigations and, if necessary, labor supervision should be actively considered." He also requested, "Both labor and management should recognize that not only individuals but also a flawed organizational culture can be the cause of workplace harassment and work together to create a 'healthy and mutually respectful workplace culture.'"

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