Minister of Justice Park Beom-gye: "Strict Response to Serious Accident, Need for Concurrent New Research"

On the 22nd, Minister Park Beom-gye is speaking at the meeting between prosecutors investigating major disasters and safety accidents held at the Yongin branch of the Judicial Research and Training Institute. Photo by Ministry of Justice

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Park Beom-gye, Minister of Justice, said regarding the Serious Accidents Punishment Act, which will be enforced on January 27 next year, "Along with strict responses to accidents, it is also necessary to conduct new research on the duty of safety precautions and causality theory."

On the 22nd, at a meeting between prosecutors investigating serious accidents and safety incidents held at the Yongin branch of the Judicial Research and Training Institute, Minister Park stated, "Ahead of the law's enforcement, please make every effort on the front lines to prepare thoroughly so that the significance of the law's introduction process and legislative purpose can be realized."

The Ministry of Justice discussed key investigative cases such as the death of Kim Yong-gyun and the gas leak accident at a pension in Gangneung during the approximately two-hour meeting, focusing on issues arising during investigations and trials as well as the need for system improvements.

Minister Park attended the meeting along with the Director of the Prosecutor's Office, the head of the Serious Safety Accident Task Force (TF), and the head of the Public Criminal Division. From the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, the head of the Public Investigation Department's Labor Investigation Support Division also participated. Prosecutors from local offices presented cases and led discussions.

Daegu District Prosecutor Kim Seung-mi proposed, "There is a need for step-by-step modeling of accident responses that can fully embody the legislative intent of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act," and Ulsan District Prosecutor Jeong Seong-du, from the Industrial Safety-Focused Prosecutor's Office, said, "To clearly identify accident causes, violations of duty of care, and causality in industrial accident cases, it is necessary to establish an organic cooperative system such as joint on-site inspections with related agencies."

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