Despite a record low of 366 workplace fatalities in the third quarter of this year, the government is struggling to advance key legislation aimed at strengthening penalties for companies that neglect safety obligations.
During a cabinet meeting at the Blue House on October 20, President Lee Jae-myung received a report from Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Young-hoon regarding the reduction in workplace fatalities. He also reviewed the legislative progress on policies to enhance economic sanctions against companies that fail to comply with safety regulations.
When Minister Kim reported that the bill had not yet passed, President Lee expressed his frustration, stating, "I have been talking about this since last year. It is indeed frustrating that the National Assembly has not acted on this." He urged Kim to make every effort to expedite the bill's passage, to which Kim replied, "I am praying hard for this. I will pray even more."
According to statistics released by the Ministry of Employment and Labor, there were 366 workplace fatalities from January to September this year, marking a 19.9% decrease compared to the same period last year and the first time the number has fallen below 400.
However, the government believes that sustaining this downward trend in workplace accidents is challenging without institutional support. President Lee emphasized, "It is not a small number that 366 people lost their lives while they should not have. We must continue to push for reductions in workplace accidents."
Meanwhile, President Lee commended the efforts of relevant ministries and on-site labor inspectors for achieving this significant reduction. He remarked, "This might be the effect of having a labor minister. This is truly a groundbreaking achievement," referencing a past comparison he made between firefighters and 'small gods' during his tenure as governor of Gyeonggi Province. He noted, "Ministers and labor inspectors have given life to someone. This is truly a great deed."
After encouraging applause from attendees, he instructed Prime Minister Han Seung-soo, "It is not enough just to applaud. Haven't we set aside a budget for rewards? There is no need to wait until the end of the year; rewards and recognition should be given immediately."
The government plans to maintain strict oversight of high-risk workplaces and those with repeated serious accidents until the end of the year, with a focus on conducting concentrated inspections of fire and explosion hazards next month.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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