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🇰🇷 South Korea /Crime & Justice

Government's 'War on Industrial Accidents' Yields Results? First-Half Fatalities at Record Low of 253

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • South Korea recorded its lowest-ever number of industrial accident deaths in the first half of the year, with 253 fatalities.
  • The decrease is largely attributed to fewer deaths in the construction sector.
  • However, manufacturing saw an increase in fatalities due to incidents like the Daejeon Safety Industry fire and the Hanwha Aerospace explosion.

South Korea has achieved a historic low in industrial accident deaths, with 253 fatalities recorded in the first half of this year. This figure represents the lowest since the government began compiling statistics in 2022, marking a significant improvement in workplace safety.

The construction industry, traditionally a high-risk sector, saw a substantial reduction in deaths. Fatalities decreased by 33 cases, or 27%, compared to the same period last year. This improvement is attributed to collaborative prevention and supervision efforts involving government bodies, local authorities, and private organizations, particularly targeting smaller, vulnerable workplaces.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor, following President Lee Jae-myung's declaration of a 'war on industrial accidents,' has seen the efforts of the ministry, local governments, related ministries, and private institutions collaborating to provide prevention and supervision down to small, vulnerable workplaces.

— Ministry OfficialExplaining the reasons behind the decrease in industrial accident deaths, particularly in the construction sector.

Despite the overall positive trend, the manufacturing sector experienced an increase in deaths. Incidents such as the fire at Daejeon Safety Industry in March and an explosion at Hanwha Aerospace's Daejeon plant in June contributed to a rise in manufacturing-related fatalities. These events, along with an increase in deaths from crushing and overturning accidents, highlight ongoing challenges in specific industrial areas.

Looking ahead, the Ministry of Employment and Labor plans to continue its focus on proactive safety measures. Initiatives include deploying a thousand-strong 'Safe Workplace Guardians' to identify risks and conducting intensive checks and unannounced inspections during summer to prevent heat-related illnesses. Collaboration with defense and fire agencies will also continue for facilities handling military chemicals and those with recurring fire incidents.

The consecutive accidents in Daejeon, along with crushing and overturning incidents, were influenced by factors such as forklift rollovers.

— Ministry OfficialAddressing the reasons for the increase in fatalities within the manufacturing sector and specific accident types.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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