Did the 'War on Industrial Accidents' Work?... Industrial Accident Fatalities Down 17.5% in Q1

As the Lee Jaemyung administration has prioritized reducing industrial accidents as a key policy, the number of fatal industrial accident cases in the first quarter of this year dropped to its lowest level since statistics were first compiled. However, due to the impact of major fire accidents, the number of fatalities in the manufacturing sector surged, resulting in a clear disparity across industries.

According to the “Status of Fatal Accidents Subject to Accident Investigation (Provisional) in the First Quarter of 2026,” released by the Ministry of Employment and Labor on April 14, the number of accidental deaths in the first quarter was 113, a decrease of 24 (17.5%) compared to the same period last year (137). The number of accident cases also fell by 31 (24.0%) to 98. This is the lowest first-quarter figure since these statistics began in 2022 and marks the lowest level in five years.

On the first day of the Serious Accident Punishment Act, which allows the punishment of management responsible when serious accidents such as worker deaths occur, managers are conducting safety inspections at an apartment construction site in Gyeonggi-do on the 27th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

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By industry, there was a pronounced decrease in construction and other industries. In the construction sector, the number of fatalities dropped by 32 (45.1%) to 39, compared to last year, and other industries saw a decrease of 15 (40.5%) to 22. In contrast, the manufacturing sector saw 52 deaths, an increase of 23 (79.3%), moving in the opposite direction from the overall downward trend. The Ministry of Employment and Labor analyzed that “the fire accident at an automobile parts factory in Daejeon last March, which resulted in 14 deaths, had a significant impact.”

By workplace size, the decline was most notable among small businesses. Workplaces with fewer than 50 employees saw fatal accidents decrease by 24 (28.9%) to 59, and particularly, businesses with fewer than five employees saw a decrease of 15 (34.9%) to 28. In contrast, businesses with 50 or more employees recorded 54 deaths, maintaining the same level as the previous year. The Ministry of Employment and Labor attributed this to the expansion of inspections and supervision targeting small businesses, as well as strengthened cooperation with local governments, relevant ministries, and private organizations since the second half of last year.

By type of accident, traditional high-risk types saw sharp declines. “Falls” accounted for 31 deaths, a decrease of 31 (50.0%) from last year, while “struck by object” (13, down 18.8%) and “collapse” (8, down 27.3%) also fell. In contrast, “fire and explosion” incidents rose to 20, an increase of 10 (100%), highlighting a newly emerging risk factor.

By region, Gyeonggi Province recorded the highest number of fatalities with 22, followed by North Gyeongsang Province with 16, and Daejeon with 15. In particular, Daejeon saw the largest increase, rising by 13 compared to last year. Conversely, Seoul and Busan saw significant declines, with decreases of 12 and 10, respectively. There were 18 foreign worker fatalities, accounting for 15.9% of the total. Although this was two fewer than last year, the number increased by four in the manufacturing sector, showing variation by industry.

The government plans to further expand its management targets in order to continue the downward trend in industrial accident fatalities. It aims to conduct comprehensive inspections of approximately 100,000 high-risk workplaces selected based on industrial accident history and will strengthen management of small high-risk workplaces through enhanced cooperation with local governments, relevant ministries, and the private sector. In addition, to prevent the recurrence of fire accidents, the government is establishing an information-sharing system with the National Fire Agency and is conducting joint inspections and planned supervision at more than 3,900 workplaces identified as having fire risks.

Meanwhile, the statistics on cases subject to accident investigation are compiled around fatal industrial accidents where employers have violated their safety and health obligations under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. These figures focus on fatal accidents involving management responsibility, rather than simple accidents, and thus serve as an indicator of the safety level at industrial sites. A Ministry of Employment and Labor official stated, “The decline in accidental fatalities in the first quarter is the result of strengthened inspections and supervision focused on small businesses and increased on-site management efforts. However, we will continue to strengthen our response to new risk factors, such as fires in the manufacturing sector, to maintain the downward trend.”

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