Ahn Cheol-soo: "Primary and subcontractors must be held accountable to reduce industrial accidents"

"Tasks Involving National Life and Safety... 'Prohibition of Using Non-Regular Workers' Needed"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party, stated on the 12th, “It is necessary to hold all parties involved, including primary and subcontractors, accountable, not just punish the results of industrial accidents,” adding, “Only then can the occurrence of accidents be reduced.”

At the policy seminar “On(on) National Study Room” held at the National Assembly Members’ Office Building that day, Ahn said, “To reduce industrial accidents, the following three things are primarily needed.”

He explained, “The burden of proof and claim procedures for industrial accident insurance must be improved. Although Korea’s industrial accident fatality rate is high, the industrial accident occurrence rate is very low, about 25% of the OECD average,” adding, “Experts interpret this as meaning that accidents not severe enough to cause death are not reported as industrial accidents.”

He continued, “One reason industrial accidents are concealed is that while health insurance claims are handled by medical institutions on behalf of patients, industrial accident insurance requires workers to prepare documents, file claims, and prove causality between work and illness themselves, making the process complicated and inconvenient,” emphasizing, “It is urgent to improve this.”

Ahn stated, “The use of non-regular workers should be prohibited in jobs involving the life and safety of the people,” and added, “Even changing these basic things can save precious lives sacrificed every day.”