A Series of Serious Industrial Accidents in Jeollanam-do... "Governor Kim Yung-rok Must Take Direct Action"

Gwangju-Jeonnam Labor Safety and Health Watchdog Issues Statement
"Worker Deaths Are Structural Disasters, Urgent Prevention Needed"

The Gwangju-Jeonnam Labor Safety and Health Watchdog issued a statement on August 25, urging Governor Kim Yung-rok to directly address the ongoing and tragic worker fatalities in Jeollanam-do.

On the afternoon of the 21st, firefighters are conducting rescue operations for workers who lost consciousness during a simple tank cleaning operation at a ready-mixed concrete factory in Suncheon, Jeollanam-do. Photo by Yonhap News

The organization pointed out, "In August alone, there were a fall accident in Yeongam, a forklift overturn in Jangseong, an electric shock at an aquaculture farm in Goheung, a retaining wall fall in Hwasun, a suffocation incident at a feed factory in Naju, and both entrapment and suffocation accidents in Suncheon. All of these accidents could have been prevented."

The statement continued, "Jeollanam-do lacks a control tower for the prevention of serious industrial accidents, and its preventive systems are inadequate. After every fatal accident, only the basic position of 'preventing recurrence' is repeated."

The organization demanded: ▲ an official apology from the governor and comprehensive measures to prevent recurrence ▲ the establishment of a dedicated organization for serious industrial accident prevention ▲ eradication of the outsourcing and migration of hazardous work and strengthening of primary contractor responsibility ▲ and the introduction of a worker-participatory safety management system. The statement emphasized, "Workers have the right not to die on the job. Every death is preventable. Jeollanam-do must not evade responsibility and should implement fundamental countermeasures."

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