KCCI "Push to Omit Employer Opinion Submission in Industrial Accident Cases, Call for Complete Suspension"

"Delay in Industrial Accident Processing Due to Inadequate System Operation and Administrative Capacity, Not Employer Opinion Submission"

[Asia Economy Reporter Yu Je-hoon] The Korea Employers Federation (KEF) urged on the 10th for the complete suspension of the Ministry of Employment and Labor’s legislative notice to amend the Enforcement Rules of the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act, which omits the procedure for employers (insurance subscribers) to submit opinions, citing the prompt processing of industrial accident insurance. KEF called for sincere discussion and review first.

According to KEF, Article 20 of the current Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act stipulates that "when the corporation receives an application for medical care benefits, it must notify the insurance subscriber to which the relevant worker belongs, and in this case, the insurance subscriber may submit opinions on the application for medical care benefits to the corporation within 10 days from the date of notification."

The recently proposed amendment to the enforcement rules by the Ministry of Employment and Labor deletes the part stating "the insurance subscriber may submit opinions on the application for medical care benefits to the corporation within 10 days from the date of notification," thereby omitting the employer’s opinion submission procedure.

KEF pointed out that "the employer’s opinion submission procedure is a system established to prevent fraudulent claims and conflicts of interest caused by false or distorted assertions and to ensure fair industrial accident compensation," adding that "its importance has increased since the abolition of the employer confirmation system."

KEF further expressed regret over the reality that employers’ opinions are thoroughly disregarded despite the industrial accident insurance system being operated based on insurance premiums fully borne by employers, stating, "We oppose the reckless promotion reflecting only the labor side’s position."

KEF also rebutted the labor side’s claim that industrial accident processing is delayed due to the employer’s opinion submission, clarifying that employers submit opinions only in cases where the circumstances of the accident are unclear or suspected to be false or fraudulent, not for all industrial accident applications.

KEF emphasized, "The delay in industrial accident processing is due to the Korea Workers’ Compensation and Welfare Service’s inadequate system operation and lack of administrative capacity in response to the surge in industrial accident applications caused by the Ministry of Employment and Labor’s unilateral abolition of the employer confirmation system," and drew a clear line that "it is unrelated to the employer’s opinion submission procedure."

KEF urged, "The government should prioritize sincere discussion and review through task force meetings involving labor, management, and government representatives even now."

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