Did Yeocheon NCC Comply with 'Safety and Recurrence Prevention' Obligations... Investigation on Alert

4 Yeocheon NCC Workers Dead in Accident
Ministry of Employment Starts Investigation Under Serious Accident Act Article 3
Compliance with Safety and Health Obligations Key
Minju No Chong Demands "No Tricks or Evasion" Pressure

On the morning of the 11th, an explosion occurred at Yeocheon NCC Plant 3 within the National Industrial Complex in Hwachi-dong, Yeosu-si, Jeollanam-do. Police and factory officials are inspecting the accident site. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Following a fatal accident involving workers at the Yeocheon NCC plant within the Yeosu National Industrial Complex, the largest petrochemical industrial complex in South Korea, the Ministry of Employment and Labor has launched a full-scale investigation into alleged violations of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act. Key issues in the investigation will include whether the company properly fulfilled its safety and health obligations under the Act and whether these failures led to the fatal accident.

According to the government on the 12th, inspectors from the Ministry’s Occupational Safety and Health Headquarters and the Gwangju Labor Office ordered a work stoppage at the entire Yeocheon NCC Plant 3 following the accident that occurred the previous day. They are currently managing accident recovery and investigating the cause of the disaster. Considering the severity of the incident, the Ministry also activated the 'Central Industrial Accident Recovery Headquarters' to support swift accident management and cause investigation.

Yeocheon NCC employs approximately 960 regular workers and is subject to the Serious Accidents Punishment Act. Enacted on the 27th of last month, the Act mandates that business owners or managers at workplaces with 50 or more regular employees can be penalized if a serious industrial accident such as a worker’s death occurs due to failure to ensure safety and health. If charges are proven, Yeocheon NCC could become the first petrochemical company to be subject to this law.

Compliance with Safety Obligations... Punishment of Management at Stake

According to the Jeonnam Fire Headquarters and Yeosu City authorities, at 9:26 a.m. the previous day, an explosion occurred during a pressure test on a heat exchanger that recycles waste heat at Yeocheon NCC Plant 3 in Hwachi-dong, Yeosu City. The accident resulted in the deaths of four people, including Yeocheon NCC work supervisor Ha Mo (58), and injuries to four others, including Park Mo (45). The explosion caused a roughly one-ton circular metal cover to fly off and strike nearby workers. Except for Mr. Ha, all the casualties were subcontractor employees.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor and the police plan to focus on whether safety guidelines such as maintaining a safe distance were properly followed at the scene and whether the company complied with its safety and health obligations under the Serious Accidents Punishment Act. The police, suspecting that safety guidelines were not properly observed, are investigating Yeocheon NCC personnel. Normally, during pressure tests, worker access within the work radius is restricted, but it was reported that workers were inside the work area at the time of the accident.

According to the law, business owners or managers must take measures to ensure safety, including ▲establishing and implementing safety and health management systems necessary for accident prevention ▲developing and executing accident prevention measures ▲complying with improvement and correction orders issued by central administrative agencies or local governments under relevant laws ▲and taking necessary actions to fulfill obligations under safety and health-related laws.

If it is proven that these obligations were neglected and a serious accident occurred as a result, the responsible manager may face imprisonment for more than one year or a fine of up to 1 billion KRW. Previously, following a serious accident at Sampyo Industry, CEO Lee Jong-shin was booked on the 9th. In response, Choi Geum-am, CEO of Yeocheon NCC, held a press conference immediately after the accident, expressing deep condolences to the victims’ families and pledging to do his utmost in managing the accident.

At around 9:26 a.m. on the 11th, an explosion occurred during a heat exchanger leak test at Yeocheon NCC Plant 3 in Hwachi-dong, Yeosu-si, Jeollanam-do National Industrial Complex. The photo shows the exploded factory.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Frequent Fatal Accidents... Strict Investigation Unavoidable

Although the Yeosu Industrial Complex is the largest petrochemical industrial complex in South Korea, it is often called a 'powder keg' due to frequent safety accidents. In December last year, a raw material tank exploded at the petroleum refining company Il Industrial, killing three workers. In total, 22 safety accidents occurred in the Yeosu Industrial Complex last year alone. A lawyer specializing in serious accidents at a major law firm explained, "If a company has many accident cases, the Ministry of Employment and Labor may determine during an investigation that the company neglected its obligation to implement measures to prevent recurrence."

The labor community is also raising voices demanding punishment for those responsible and thorough fact-finding amid the series of serious accidents. The 'Yeosu Industrial Complex Yeocheon NCC Explosion Fatal Accident Serious Accident Corporate Punishment Countermeasures Committee (hereafter, the Countermeasures Committee),' composed of the Jeonnam Regional Headquarters of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, Yeosu City Branch, Chemical Fiber Workers’ Union, and Plant Construction Union, issued a statement on the 12th emphasizing that "definite measures to prevent recurrence must be established."

The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions also pointed out in a statement, "The Yeosu Industrial Complex has been called a powder keg due to the continuous occurrence of serious accidents, repeatedly happening at the same workplaces." They added, "We strongly demand a thorough investigation of the tragedy and fundamental measures to prevent recurrence, and we must ensure the participation of labor unions and experts to prevent any tricks or loopholes to evade punishment under the Serious Accidents Punishment Act."

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