Firefighters' Union Urges Introduction of 'Presumed Work Injury System'... Delivers 13,000 Signatures to Democratic Party

Delivery of 13,279 Signatures from Firefighters
Rep. Oh Young-hwan Urges Passage of Public Officials' Disaster Compensation Act

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] The Korea Federation of Trade Unions National Fire Safety Officials Labor Union (Chairman Hong Soon-tak, hereinafter 'Firefighters' Union') announced on the 30th that it delivered a petition urging the introduction of the 'Presumption of Work-Related Injury System' to Song Young-gil, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Assemblyman Oh Young-hwan on the 29th.

On that day, the Firefighters' Union released a press statement saying, "We have collected and submitted a petition signed by 13,279 firefighters nationwide urging the introduction of the 'Presumption of Work-Related Injury System,' which recognizes that if a public official contracts a disease, it is basically presumed to be work-related, and requires the state to prove the causal relationship with work."

The Firefighters' Union pointed out, "Although the incidence of cancer and rare diseases among firefighters at disaster and accident sites is increasing, under the current Public Officials' Disaster Compensation Act, if a firefighter working in a hazardous or dangerous environment contracts a disease, suffers a disability, or dies from that disease, it is only recognized as a work-related injury if a clear causal relationship between the work and the injury is proven. Otherwise, the public official or their bereaved family must prove the causal relationship between the work and the injury."

They added, "Due to this unreasonable current system, firefighters and their families, who lack medical knowledge and information, spend a lot of time and money on lawsuits to be recognized as 'work-related injuries,' or they give up applying altogether and bear the medical expenses themselves," explaining that "they suffer mental, physical, and economic pain."

In response, Hong Soon-tak, chairman of the Firefighters' Union, said, "We requested efforts at the party level to create an environment where firefighters, who are devoted to public safety on the front lines, can work diligently, and the establishment of the presumption of work-related injury system in the 'Public Officials' Disaster Compensation Act' will be the first step."

Leader Song Young-gil said, "Assemblyman Oh Young-hwan and I jointly proposed the 'Public Officials' Disaster Compensation Act' in 2020, but I regret that its processing has been delayed," adding, "I also attended the memorial service for fallen firefighters held at Daejeon National Cemetery on the 20th of last month. We will actively strive at the party level to ensure that when firefighters, who have a relatively high proportion of hazardous duties, suffer injuries during work, the state can bear the burden of proving the causal relationship of the injury."

Assemblyman Oh Young-hwan, a former firefighter, also said, "The case of the late firefighter Kim Beom-seok, who was diagnosed with vascular sarcoma, received treatment, and pursued litigation to be recognized as work-related injury before passing away in 2014, sparked serious interest in the presumption of work-related injury system," and added, "Leader Song and I will work to have it promptly processed in the January extraordinary session of the National Assembly."

Vice Chairman Hwang emphasized, "Although firefighters have become national public officials, in reality, the authority over office work, budget, and personnel remains with local governments, making it a 'halfway' nationalization," and stressed, "It should also be improved so that budgets and other matters can be independently managed, just like police officers."

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