Ministry of Labor Discloses Seven Workplaces with Final Rulings on Serious Industrial Accidents in First Half of Year

A Total of 22 Workplaces Disclosed, Including Those from the First Half of the Year

It has been revealed that a total of seven workplaces where serious industrial accidents occurred received final court rulings in the first half of this year. These cases mainly involved manufacturing and construction sites where workers died due to incidents such as being caught in machinery or falling.

On September 24, the Ministry of Employment and Labor announced through the official gazette and its website the occurrence of these serious industrial accidents in accordance with the Serious Accidents Punishment Act. Under this law, when a serious industrial accident occurs and a final ruling is issued and notified, the name of the workplace, the date, time, and location of the accident, details and causes of the accident, as well as the company’s record of serious accidents over the past five years, must be disclosed.

Ministry of Employment and Labor

In the first half of the year, seven workplaces received final rulings and notifications. Among them, four manufacturing sites were disclosed due to causes such as being caught, amputated, cut, or stabbed, while three construction sites were disclosed due to causes such as falls and collisions. Specific cases included a worker dying after being struck by a lifted object that fell when the supporting textile belt snapped, and another worker dying after being hit by the boom of an excavator that toppled while moving a pine tree.

Among the management responsible at the disclosed workplaces, six received suspended prison sentences, and one was fined. Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Younghoon stated, "With this disclosure, companies that violate the Serious Accidents Punishment Act must recognize that their actions can be made known to the entire public," adding, "I hope this serves as an opportunity for companies to prioritize the lives and safety of workers in their management practices."

Since September 2023, the Ministry has disclosed a total of 15 workplaces with finalized and notified serious industrial accident cases on a semi-annual basis. With the addition of seven more this time, the total number of disclosed workplaces has increased to 22. A Ministry official explained, "Currently, there have been rulings under the Serious Accidents Punishment Act for more than 50 workplaces," and added, "As more rulings become final and are notified, the number of disclosed workplaces will continue to increase." The official also noted, "The number of workplaces disclosed semi-annually is gradually rising."

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