President Lee: "Will Mobilize All Means to Prevent Livelihoods from Becoming Sites of Death"

Workers’ Memorial Day Message: “Eradicating Industrial Accidents Is a Key Policy Task”
“Despite 17.5% Decrease in First-Quarter Fatalities, Much Work Remains... Laws and Regulations to Be Thoroughly Overhauled”

President Lee Jae-myung stated on April 28, “I will mobilize every possible means to ensure that our livelihoods no longer become sites of death.”

President Lee Jae-myung is listening to the report on the statistical data of deaths subject to disaster investigation by the Ministry of Labor at the Cabinet meeting and emergency economic inspection meeting held at the Blue House on April 14, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News

On this day, President Lee posted a message on Facebook to mark Workers’ Memorial Day for occupational accident victims, saying, “I deeply mourn all the workers who never returned from their workplaces.”

President Lee also expressed his sincere condolences to the bereaved families and wished a swift recovery to all those undergoing treatment and rehabilitation. He emphasized, “Eradicating industrial accidents is a key policy task for the people’s sovereignty government,” adding, “‘Sustainable growth based on safety’ is likewise an unwavering core principle of state affairs.”

President Lee noted that the number of industrial accident fatalities in the first quarter of this year decreased by 17.5% compared to the previous year, and assessed that “with multifaceted efforts at the government level and the cooperation of labor and management, changes are being detected on the ground.” However, he added, “In the face of the weight of the precious lives we failed to protect and the heartbreaking cries of those who lost their families and neighbors, we still have a long way to go.”

According to the provisional results of the “Supplementary Statistics on Industrial Accidents in the First Quarter of 2026” released by the Ministry of Employment and Labor on April 14, the number of accident-related fatalities subject to disaster investigation in the first quarter of this year was 113, a decrease of 24 from 137 in the same period last year. The number of accident cases was 98, down by 31 from the same period last year. This is the lowest number of accident fatalities for the first quarter since the statistics began in 2022.

President Lee also announced plans to overhaul the system to prevent recurring industrial accidents. He stated, “I will ensure that laws and regulations are thoroughly revised so that ‘familiar tragedies with only the victims changed’ do not keep repeating due to neglected hazards and small gaps. If necessary, I will also introduce new standards and systems.”

In particular, President Lee pointed out, “In the face of the disgrace of having the highest rate of industrial accident deaths among OECD members, our achievement as the world’s 10th-largest economy cannot be a source of pride.” He added, “Growth achieved in safe workplaces is the very foundation of sustainable growth that guarantees the happiness of our citizens. I will fulfill my responsibility to the end so that Workers’ Memorial Day can become not just a day of mourning and remembrance, but also a day to vow safety and talk about recovery.”

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