KCTU "After Ministry of Labor's Special Audit... 36% of Industrial Accident Workers Experienced Unfair Judgments"

71% of Respondents Say "Negative Impact on Specific Industrial Accident Judgments"
Highest Rate of 'Sudden Industrial Accident Medical Care Termination'

According to a labor union survey, 36% of industrial accident workers experienced unfair industrial accident determinations following the 'Industrial Accident Insurance Special Audit' conducted by the Ministry of Employment and Labor last year.

Kim Dong-myeong, Chairman of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions. [Photo by Yonhap News]

On the 16th, the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) announced the results of the 'Status and Actual Condition Survey on the Application of Industrial Accident Insurance for Industrial Accident Workers.' According to the survey, 71.4% of respondents answered "yes" to the question, "Will the Industrial Accident Insurance Special Audit conducted by the Ministry of Employment and Labor have a negative impact on future industrial accident determinations and compensation decisions?" Among them, 36.1% reported having actually experienced unfair industrial accident determinations.

Among the unfair experiences, "sudden termination of industrial accident medical care" was the highest at 39.0%, followed by "delays in re-approval of medical care" (19.5%) and "conservative industrial accident determinations" (12.2%).

This survey was conducted over 12 days from the 4th to the 15th of last month, targeting eight industrial accident worker organizations (119 workers) to assess the degree of change in industrial accident determinations after the Ministry of Employment and Labor’s special audit of industrial accident insurance.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor has been conducting an "Industrial Accident Cartel and Fraudulent Claims Investigation" since last year in response to the sharp increase in industrial accident insurance application cases due to the expansion of coverage and scope over the past five years. The plan is to audit the overall industrial accident insurance system along with its institutional issues.

The Federation of Korean Trade Unions stated, "The Ministry of Employment and Labor is unfairly labeling industrial accident workers as a 'cartel' without clear evidence, causing harm even to workers who have been rightfully recognized for their industrial accidents," and added, "The Ministry must prepare support measures so that industrial accident workers can receive proper treatment and compensation and return to society."

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