Reduced 904 Work-Related Injury Appeals in First Half of Year... "1600 Rights Remedies Annually"

Geunro Bokji Gong "Increase in Industrial Accident Workers' Rights Remedies Without Litigation"

Members of the National Construction Workers' Union held a press conference on May 12 in front of the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul, marking the start of a memorial action by the Construction Workers' Union for the Han Express Nam Icheon logistics warehouse industrial accident. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok]

#The Industrial Accident Review Committee helped worker A receive industrial accident insurance treatment costs for nursing care expenses paid by the perpetrator of a traffic accident. Since industrial accident insurance does not allow duplicate compensation, A was unable to receive treatment costs related to nursing care under the original decision. The committee actively reflected recent precedents that nursing care expenses are not considered general treatment costs.

#Worker B was not recognized for a work-related injury because the injury occurred while commuting from their child's home, not their own residence. During the appeal process, the committee submitted new evidence proving that the child's home is also a usual place of residence, helping B have the unexpected accident recognized as a work-related injury. Commuting accidents are generally recognized only if they occur on the usual route from the residence to the workplace.

#Worker C caused a traffic accident by running a red light while drowsy from overwork. C was at risk of not being recognized as having a work-related injury under the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act. The committee conducted additional investigations to identify the main cause of the accident and helped C receive recognition as a work-related injury.

Strictly applying regulations uniformly often results in workers unfairly not receiving compensation for industrial accidents, leading to frequent lawsuits. The Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service announced on the 30th that it reduced 904 industrial accident lawsuits in the first half of the year by utilizing the 'Industrial Accident Review Request System.' The Service provides rights relief for about 1,600 cases annually before cases reach litigation.

The Service reported that the number of Industrial Accident Review Committee meetings increased by 19% to 193 in the first half of this year compared to the same period last year. This is part of the Industrial Accident Review Request System, which helps protect the rights of injured workers before lawsuits. The Service processes about 1.8 million industrial accident insurance benefit claims annually, of which about 1.3%, or approximately 11,000 cases, proceed to review requests. Among these, about 1,600 cases receive rights relief each year, with 904 cases handled in just the first half of this year.

The 'Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Review Committee,' composed of up to 150 experts including lawyers, certified labor attorneys, university professors, and specialists in social insurance and occupational medicine, actively participates in this process. Kang Soonhee, Director of the Service, stated, "The committee will work even more actively to ensure that not a single industrial accident worker suffers an unfair case and to fully fulfill its role in rights relief."

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