KOEN, Korea District Heating, KEPCO KDN, and Korea Trade Insurance: The Secrets Behind Their 'A Grade' Safety Management

KOEN, Korea District Heating Corporation, KEPCO KDN, and Korea Trade Insurance Corporation
Receive “A Grade” in 2025 Public Institution Safety Activity Level Assessment
Spotlight on Integrated Safety Systems: Field-Oriented, Digital, and Collaborative Approaches

The safety management approaches of four institutions—Korea South-East Power Company (KOEN), Korea District Heating Corporation, KEPCO KDN, and Korea Trade Insurance Corporation—that received an A grade in the “2025 Public Institution Safety Activity Level Assessment” are drawing renewed attention. These organizations’ common strategies, such as field-oriented management, integration of digital technologies, and the creation of a safety ecosystem that includes partner companies, are emerging as new “safety management standards” across the public sector.

According to the results of the “2025 Public Institution Safety Activity Level Assessment,” announced on April 30, 2026, by the Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency, only Korea South-East Power Company, Korea District Heating Corporation, KEPCO KDN (all public enterprises), and Korea Trade Insurance Corporation (a quasi-governmental agency) received an A grade for their safety and health management systems, safety management activities, and performance.

Overall, 77 institutions received a B grade, which was the most common, followed by 23 institutions with a C grade and one with a D grade. The institutions that received an A grade were evaluated as distinguished by establishing “safety management systems that function effectively in the field.”

Notably, Korea South-East Power Company was the only power generation public enterprise to receive an A grade and, for the first time in its history, maintained the highest rating for two consecutive years. Cho Younghyuk, acting president of KOEN, emphasized that this achievement was “the result of a safety philosophy centered on on-site operations.” He reiterated a zero-tolerance policy by stating, “Safety is a tool for survival and the foundation of our company’s existence. There can be no compromise when it comes to safety.”

KOEN has established a hands-on safety management system in which executives directly inspect sites and has fostered a company-wide culture of safety responsibility by providing financial support and tailored safety assessments for partner companies. In particular, the company received high praise for its rapid identification and improvement of on-site risks using the KORAS risk assessment support system, as well as for expanding the scope of management to include workers’ mental health by becoming the first power generation company to obtain certifications for health-friendly management and psychosocial risk management.

Acting President Cho stated, “This achievement is the result of all executives, employees, and partner companies working together with one heart for safety,” adding, “Through a system management approach that adheres to fundamentals and principles, we will create a work environment where everyone can feel safe.”

Korea District Heating Corporation secured its A grade by demonstrating strong leadership in safety management centered on the CEO and implementing a digital-based preventive system. Hadonggeun, CEO of Korea District Heating Corporation, said, “We will further strengthen our field-oriented self-discipline prevention system to proactively eliminate harmful and hazardous factors.”

Of particular note is the company’s integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into its self-developed “Smart Safety Management Platform” for real-time risk management, as well as the establishment of a proactive system in response to changes in the industrial safety environment. Furthermore, through the “Safe-Guard” program targeting partner companies, the corporation has provided support for confined space work equipment, education, and consulting, thereby realizing a collaborative safety management model. CEO Ha emphasized, “Through safety management that actively communicates with and supports workers, we will create workplaces where the public can feel at ease.”

KEPCO KDN earned an A grade based on its ICT-driven digital safety management capabilities. Under CEO-led safety management leadership, the company strengthened its safety and quality organization directly under the management and focused on enhancing professional workforce capabilities by offering promotional incentives to safety managers.

Additionally, the company advanced its accident prevention framework by introducing an AI-based safety management system and new facility monitoring technologies. Park Sanghyeong, CEO of KEPCO KDN, stated, “This A grade is an achievement jointly realized by employees and partner company workers, and it is significant that we have delivered energy services for 18 years without a major accident.” He added, “We will not rest on our laurels and will continue to develop digital safety technologies, taking the lead in establishing a safety culture throughout the energy industry.”

Korea Trade Insurance Corporation, the only quasi-governmental agency to receive an A grade, was distinguished by integrating safety and health management into its core business. Jang Youngjin, president of Korea Trade Insurance Corporation, stated, “This achievement is the result of employees working together to create a safe workplace. We will continue to make safety our top management priority.”

The corporation is promoting the spread of a safety culture to the private sector by conducting experiential safety training for all employees, supporting partner companies’ safety infrastructure, and expanding trade insurance limits and offering premium discounts to companies recognized for excellence in safety and health. Last year, the corporation provided a total of KRW 6.2 trillion in trade insurance to 345 small and medium-sized enterprises, a 17% increase from the previous year.

Meanwhile, the government plans to reflect these assessment results in public institution management evaluations and will require underperforming institutions to establish improvement plans and undergo consulting.

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