South Korea Sees Sharp Drop in Industrial Accident Fatalities in Q1

South Korea has achieved a notable reduction in industrial accident fatalities during the first quarter of this year, with the number of deaths falling to 113. This figure represents the lowest recorded for the first quarter since the relevant statistics began to be compiled in 2022. The Ministry of Employment and Labor attributed this positive trend to a combination of factors, including intensified inspections and supervision of small businesses since the latter half of last year, as well as enhanced collaboration with local governments, related ministries, and private organizations.

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Last year's second half, we expanded inspections and supervision targeting small businesses, and strengthened cooperation with local governments, related ministries, and private organizations, which appears to have had some effect.

A significant contributor to this decline was the dramatic decrease in fall-related accidents, which were cut in half compared to the same period last year. These accidents, predominantly occurring in the construction sector, have been a focus of concentrated inspection, supervision, and prevention support efforts. The Ministry highlighted a growing sense of urgency and improved safety awareness among businesses, particularly regarding the prevention of falls, as key to this success.

Despite the overall positive trend, the manufacturing sector experienced an increase in fatalities, with 52 deaths compared to the previous year. This rise was partly influenced by a major fire incident at a car parts factory in Daejeon, which resulted in 14 fatalities. The Ministry acknowledged this increase and is working to address specific sector challenges.

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Fall accidents, which mainly occur in the construction industry, are a sector where we concentrated inspections, supervision, and prevention support.

Looking ahead, the Ministry plans to strengthen its management of industrial safety by conducting comprehensive investigations of approximately 100,000 high-risk workplaces, identified based on their accident history. Furthermore, to prevent the recurrence of fire accidents, a system for sharing information on fire-prone workplaces with the National Fire Agency is being established. These measures aim to sustain the downward trend in industrial accident fatalities and enhance overall workplace safety.

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We assess that accidents have decreased as businesses have developed a sense of crisis and safety awareness, such as 'we must prevent falls at all costs'.