Former President of Korea Western Power, the primary contractor in the death of Kim Yong-gyun, found not guilty

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] All former presidents of the primary and subcontracting companies, who were indicted on charges including involuntary manslaughter related to the death of the late Kim Yong-gyun (then 24 years old), have been acquitted. This comes more than three years after the accident at the Korea Western Power Taean Thermal Power Plant in December 2018, which resulted in Kim's death.

On the 10th, Judge Park Sang-kwon of the Criminal Division 2 at the Seosan Branch of Daejeon District Court ruled that former Korea Western Power President Kim Byung-sook, who was charged with involuntary manslaughter and violation of the Industrial Safety and Health Act, "cannot be held liable." The judgment was based on the finding that Kim did not specifically recognize the dangers of the conveyor belt or the issues in the consignment service contract with the subcontractor Korea Power Technology.

On the same day, former President Baek Nam-ho of the subcontractor Korea Power Technology was sentenced to 1 year and 6 months in prison with a 2-year probation, and fines of 15 million won were imposed on both Korea Western Power and Korea Power Technology.

Previously, Kim, a non-regular worker employed by the subcontractor Korea Power Technology at the Taean Thermal Power Plant, was found dead early morning on December 11, 2018, caught in a conveyor belt used for coal transportation.

Meanwhile, except for former President Kim, all other 15 defendants (including 2 corporations) were found guilty and received sentences including imprisonment, suspended sentences, or fines.

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