SME Sector "Serious Accident Act Will Cause Greater Confusion... Preparation Time Far Too Short"

'Enforcement Decree of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act' Passed at Cabinet Meeting on the 28th
Korea Federation of SMEs "Extreme Anxiety and Concern... Need More Than One Year to Prepare"

A small and medium-sized manufacturing factory located in Gimpo, Gyeonggi.
Photo by Lee Jun-hyung

[Asia Economy Reporter Junhyung Lee] The small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) sector expressed concerns on the 28th regarding the 'Enforcement Decree of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act' that passed the Cabinet meeting.

The Korea Federation of SMEs stated in a commentary that "It is highly concerning that the Serious Accidents Punishment Act will increase difficulties and cause significant confusion in SME industrial sites," adding, "With the sudden enactment of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act earlier this year, SME owners are experiencing extreme anxiety and concern." They further pointed out, "This enforcement decree broadly stipulates that business owners must comply with all safety and health-related laws, creating a situation where SMEs must prepare on their own for business owner obligations that even experts find difficult to fully understand."

The Federation emphasized the need for active government support. They said, "With just over four months left until the law takes effect, the time available for SMEs to prepare is severely insufficient," and urged, "Detailed guidelines should be promptly distributed, on-site guidance should focus more on education than punishment, and at least one year of preparation time should be provided."

The Federation also stressed the necessity of revising the law. They noted, "Ninety-nine percent of SMEs are owner-operated," and warned, "Excessive anxiety imposed on business owners could actually hinder accident prevention." They further argued, "The punishment regulations for business owners should be changed from a minimum to a maximum prison sentence, and the Serious Accidents Punishment Act should only apply in cases of repeated deaths within one year," adding, "There should be provisions for exemption if the business owner had no intent or gross negligence."

The Federation concluded by saying, "The SME sector fully acknowledges the importance of accident prevention," and pledged, "Despite the difficult circumstances, we will do our best to create safe workplaces."

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