Minister Kim Younghoon: Considering Measures to Revoke POSCO E&C License

"Discussing in Cooperation with the Ministry of Land"

Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Younghoon stated that he would consider measures such as revoking the construction license of POSCO E&C, where a series of worker fatalities have occurred this year.

On August 7, during an appearance on CBS Radio, Minister Kim said, "The cancellation of a construction license is determined by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and local governments after their investigation. The Ministry of Employment and Labor can make a recommendation if two or more people have died. We will review possible measures in cooperation with the Ministry of Land." This statement follows President Lee Jaemyung's directive the previous day to review the cancellation of POSCO E&C's construction license.

To date, the only construction company to have had its license revoked was Dong-A Construction following the collapse of the Seongsu Bridge in 1994. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Act, if a disaster occurs in which two or more people die simultaneously, the Minister of Employment and Labor can request the head of the relevant administrative agency to suspend business or impose other sanctions. Under the Framework Act on the Construction Industry, if the Ministry of Employment and Labor or the Fair Trade Commission requests it, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport can revoke a company's registration.

Minister Kim also argued that the so-called "Yellow Envelope Law" (amendments to Articles 2 and 3 of the Trade Union Act) could help reduce industrial accidents. He explained, "Establishing a joint industrial safety and health system between contractors and subcontractors is related to the Yellow Envelope Law. Article 2 of the Trade Union Act opens the door for subcontractors to communicate with the main contractor, and the most important agenda is industrial safety."

He added, "Worksites should not be treated merely as objects of management but should be transformed into agents of prevention. When workers, who know the site best, are guaranteed the right to demand the elimination of hazards from the main contractor and the right to stop work, the site can become a proactive agent of prevention rather than just a subject of management."

Minister Kim pointed out, "Accidents occur at subcontractors working for the main contractor, but these subcontractors lack the technical or financial capacity to implement safety measures, and they have neither the authority nor the responsibility. The question is whether they even have the authority to make such demands of the main contractor."

On this day, as part of the third surprise inspection under the "Safe Workplace Project," Minister Kim visited a manufacturing site in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province. He strongly urged site officials to ensure that foreign workers can work safely without discrimination.

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