On June 26, the Ministry of Employment and Labor reported that approximately 20 labor inspectors from the Seoul Southern District Office are conducting a search of the main and subcontractor offices at the construction site in Geumcheon-gu, Seoul, where the worker fell.
The authorities aim to collect evidence, including mobile phones and computer data from those involved, to determine whether adequate safety measures were in place to prevent the worker's fall.
On June 9, at around 5:26 p.m., a 35-year-old subcontracted worker fell approximately 15 meters while expanding an opening for cable tray installation and died. Following the incident, the Labor Ministry ordered a halt to work at the site and initiated an investigation into potential violations of the Industrial Safety and Health Act and the Serious Accidents Punishment Act.
This is not the first accident at the Shin Ansan Line construction site. In April of the previous year, a worker died and another was seriously injured when a tunnel construction site collapsed in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi Province. In December of the same year, a worker from a subcontractor was killed when a bundle of rebar fell at a site near Yeouido Station in Seoul.
In response to these incidents, Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon held a meeting on June 15 with POSCO Group Chairman Jang In-hwa and POSCO E&C CEO Song Chi-young. During the meeting, Minister Kim urged the company to implement rigorous management reforms and measures to prevent the recurrence of serious accidents.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, in collaboration with the Labor Ministry, has also monitored safety management at seven construction sites of the Shin Ansan Line where fatal accidents have repeatedly occurred. The labor authorities plan to designate dedicated supervisors for each site and conduct planned inspections across the headquarters and construction sites nationwide.
The Labor Ministry stated, "Based on the evidence collected from this search, we will thoroughly investigate the cause of the accident and hold accountable anyone found to have violated the Industrial Safety and Health Act. If fatalities occur due to repeated non-compliance with basic safety regulations, we will actively utilize forced investigations such as searches to respond strictly."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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