South Korea to strengthen factory fire safety, conduct nationwide survey

South Korea is launching its first comprehensive safety survey targeting over 190,000 factories and warehouses nationwide, aiming to significantly enhance fire safety standards to international levels. This initiative comes in response to a series of factory fires that have resulted in significant casualties.

The government announced the "Factory Fire Safety Enhancement Plan" during an emergency economic council meeting. Officials cited structural issues, including inadequate safety standards and insufficient investment in safety measures, accumulated during the country's rapid industrialization, as root causes of recurring factory fires. The plan aims to create a safer working environment for employees and foster a manufacturing ecosystem where safety is a competitive advantage.

The large-scale survey, building on a pilot study conducted in June, will categorize facilities into three risk levels. Inspections will commence in September and continue through December of next year. Any violations, such as illegal extensions, will require immediate rectification, and survey results will be systematically managed through a digital system.

Fire safety regulations concerning construction, firefighting, and hazardous materials will be substantially upgraded. Requirements for non-combustible exterior materials will be mandated, replacing the current standard of semi-non-combustible materials. The installation of intelligent fire detection systems with reduced false alarms will also become compulsory. The scope for mandatory sprinkler system installation will be expanded from buildings with floors of 1,000 square meters and above on the fourth floor or higher, to all floors in factories with a total floor area exceeding 5,000 square meters. Additionally, a specialized inspection system for hazardous materials, conducted by qualified professionals, will be introduced.

To facilitate compliance, the government will establish a "Fire Zero Support and Loan Package" to promote safety investments. This includes a 200 billion won (approximately $150 million USD) subsidy program over five years for small and medium-sized enterprises to purchase fire and explosion prevention equipment. A "Fire Zero Safety Investment Loan Program" of 1.25 trillion won (approximately $940 million USD) over five years will also be launched, alongside other financial support measures totaling 3 trillion won (approximately $2.25 billion USD) for safety investments.

The government will also implement a post-construction inspection system to re-verify compliance after a building's initial approval. The repeated imposition of administrative fines, currently discretionary, will become mandatory. A focused reporting period for factory fire prevention will be established within the "Safety Sinmun-go" (Safety Complaint Center), with significantly increased rewards for valuable tips. A plan to offer up to 30% of collected fines or penalties as rewards to internal whistleblowers is also under consideration.