Justice Party: "Thorough Investigation and Accountability Needed for Electric Shock Accident at KEPCO Subcontractor"

Utility Pole (Not directly related to the article content) (Source: Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Chae-eun] On the 5th, the Justice Party stated that a thorough investigation and punishment of those responsible are necessary regarding the death of Kim Da-woon, a subcontractor worker at Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), who was electrocuted by high-voltage current during work.

Oh Hyun-joo, spokesperson for the Justice Party's election committee, said at a press conference at the Communication Center on the same day, "The primary contractor KEPCO's duty to supervise and the illegality of subcontracting among subcontractors must also be thoroughly investigated."

Spokesperson Oh criticized, "KEPCO abolished the direct live-line work method, which involves working while electricity is flowing, back in 2016. However, subcontractors have continued to use this method on site, citing high costs and extended construction periods, effectively condoning and neglecting the 'outsourcing of death.'"

He added, "Simple fault repairs or inspections are handled by KEPCO employees, while subcontractor workers are responsible for installing new utility poles or large-scale maintenance work. According to 2020 National Assembly audit data, among 333 casualties, only 29 were KEPCO employees, while 304 were subcontractor workers."

Spokesperson Oh stated, "The number of subcontractor casualties is 31 times that of KEPCO employee deaths," and warned, "Unless the outsourcing of death is stopped, deaths similar to the deceased will inevitably continue to repeat."

He concluded, "The Justice Party and presidential candidate Sim Sang-jung pledge to thoroughly investigate this incident and punish those responsible, and promise to create a society where workers' lives are respected through the amendment of the severely fragmented Serious Accident Punishment Act."

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