As of the third quarter of this year, workplace fatalities in South Korea have decreased by nearly 20% compared to last year, marking the lowest level since statistics began being compiled. This decline is largely attributed to significant reductions in the construction sector, with the trend spreading to smaller businesses.
However, the manufacturing sector has seen a nearly 11% increase in fatalities due to a series of major fires and explosions, highlighting a mixed picture in the overall reduction of industrial accidents.
According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor's report on workplace fatalities for the third quarter of 2026, there were 366 reported deaths from January to September, a decrease of 91 (19.9%) from 457 during the same period last year. The number of fatal accidents also dropped from 440 to 342, a reduction of 98 (22.3%).
The 366 fatalities represent the lowest cumulative figure for the third quarter since records began in 2022. Notably, the decline in fatalities has accelerated over the course of the year compared to the previous year.
By industry, the construction sector showed a marked decrease, with fatalities dropping from 210 last year to 150 this year, a reduction of 60 (28.6%). Other sectors also saw declines, with deaths falling from 128 to 84, a decrease of 44 (34.4%). In contrast, the manufacturing sector experienced an increase in fatalities, rising from 119 to 132, an increase of 13 (10.9%).
The trend of declining fatalities has also been observed across different sizes of businesses. In workplaces with fewer than 50 employees and construction sites with contracts under 5 billion won, 223 workers died, down by 52 (18.9%) from the previous year. In larger businesses, with over 50 employees and contracts exceeding 5 billion won, 143 fatalities were reported, a decrease of 39 (21.4%).
The government attributes some of the success to enhanced preventive measures and oversight since the comprehensive workplace safety plan announced in September last year. Ryu Hyun-cheol, head of the Ministry's Industrial Safety and Health Bureau, stated, "The most important factor has been the proactive efforts of on-site inspectors, focusing on prevention rather than just post-incident oversight. Collaboration among labor, local governments, and private safety organizations has also contributed to the reduction in fatalities."
Despite the positive trends, concerns have been raised that the decline in construction fatalities may be linked to a downturn in the industry, but Ryu cautioned against oversimplifying the relationship between economic conditions and workplace deaths. He noted, "While the number of construction workers has decreased by 4-5%, the number of construction sites has actually increased. I believe the trend of reduced fatalities in construction reflects policy effectiveness that transcends economic fluctuations."
Conversely, the manufacturing sector continues to see an upward trend in fatalities. Specifically, the number of deaths in manufacturing businesses with over 50 employees rose from 55 last year to 72 this year, an increase of 17 (30.9%). In smaller manufacturing businesses, fatalities decreased from 64 to 60, a drop of 4 (6.3%). Overall, the number of fatal accidents in manufacturing fell slightly from 115 to 113, a decrease of 2 (1.7%).
The rise in manufacturing fatalities has been linked to major fire and explosion incidents. In March, a fire at a safety industrial facility in Daejeon resulted in 14 deaths, while an explosion at Hanwha Aerospace in June claimed 5 lives. Including a fire at an animal fat processing plant in August that killed 3, these three major incidents accounted for 22 fatalities.
In response, the government plans to conduct focused inspections of high-risk fire and explosion sites in collaboration with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Fire Agency, and local governments in November. Efforts will also be made to expand the scope of Process Safety Management (PSM) and enhance inter-agency cooperation for hazardous workplaces.
Ryu emphasized, "There is much work to be done to ensure that the trend of decreasing fatalities is not temporary but rather a structural and irreversible change. We will not rest on our laurels but will strive to create healthy and safe workplaces."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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