President Lee Jae-myung (far right) speaks at a Cabinet meeting held at the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul, on August 12. / Photo by the presidential office press corps

President Lee Jae-myung said at the Cabinet meeting on August 12, “Taking someone’s life to save costs is a societal homicide,” and emphasized, “Any work performed without necessary safety measures must be strictly prohibited.” He added, “If necessary, we should even amend the law to ensure we no longer remain a backward ‘republic of industrial accident,’” urging officials to take “the maximum possible measures within the scope of existing regulations.” The remarks underscore his commitment to directly overseeing workplace safety and making industrial accident prevention a top national priority.

Of the 2,100 industrial accident deaths reported last year, 827 were due to falls, entrapments, or crush incidents. This means more than two workers are dying at their workplaces every day. Among them, an estimated 589 died due to employers’ violations of safety and health regulations. Even under the new administration, workers have continued to die at sites such as POSCO E&C, SPC, and Taean Thermal Power Plant.

President Lee directed strong measures against companies with industrial accidents, including loan restrictions and revocation of construction licenses. His emphasis on “amending the law” reflects a recognition that presidential reprimands and post-incident penalties alone cannot eradicate industrial accidents. Consistent, sustainable policies and proactive, preventive measures are urgently needed.

The Industrial Safety and Health Act must be revised immediately. The authority of labor inspectors to halt work, currently triggered only by major accidents, should be expanded to cover situations with potential industrial accident risks. As pledged by the president, the annual public disclosure of companies’ industrial accident records and preventive measures, the “Safety and Health Disclosure System,” should become a fundamental tool for prevention. Other measures under review include the introduction of punitive damages for companies responsible for serious accidents and amendments to the Labor Standards Act to regulate excessive night work. Without attention to state responsibility for industrial accident compensation, safety measures in small and subcontracted workplaces, and the dismantling of multi-tiered subcontracting structures, key priorities of the Presidential Committee on Policy Planning, eradicating industrial accidents will be impossible.

Above all, a shift in attitude toward worker safety by both companies and the judiciary is essential. Sentencing standards for employers who violate the Serious Accident Punishment Act must be enforced, and companies should strengthen investments in workplace safety. President Lee’s commitment to “demonstrate the standing of the world’s 10th largest economy through worker safety” must lead to effective policies and systems, fostering a society that fundamentally shifts its perception of workplace accidents.