[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] The Ministry of Employment and Labor will conduct industrial safety guidance inspections from the 24th of this month to the 18th of next month to prevent industrial accident injuries on fishing vessels under 20 tons.
This inspection focuses on guidance regarding industrial safety risk factors for small-scale fishing vessels under 20 tons and encouraging voluntary improvements by vessel owners.
The inspection targets fishing vessels in four regions?Mokpo, Yeosu, Tongyeong, and Jeju?where fatal industrial accidents mainly occur, specifically those vessels that have experienced fatal accidents or have a high recurrence rate of industrial accidents within the past three years. Of the 135 industrial accident fatalities nationwide over the past three years, about 120 cases (90%) occurred in these four regions.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, which are responsible for fishing vessel management, will jointly organize inspection teams to conduct the guidance inspections.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor will involve industrial safety supervisors from local labor offices in the four regions and experts from the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency, while the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries will participate with local maritime offices, fisheries management teams, and experts from the Korea Maritime Transportation Safety Authority.
Given the nature of fishing work at sea, the voluntary prevention and efforts of the safety management stakeholders of fishing vessels?the 'owner-captain-crew'?are crucial, so the inspection will focus on guiding voluntary improvements by vessel owners and others.
Considering that there has been virtually no guidance inspection for small-scale fishing vessels until now, this inspection will not impose criminal penalties or fines for legal violations. Instead, it will confirm the actual safety management status of fishing vessels and raise safety awareness through guidance aimed at preventing industrial accidents on board.
Park Young-man, Director of the Industrial Accident Prevention and Compensation Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Employment and Labor, stated, "We hope this guidance inspection will serve as an opportunity to enhance safety awareness and voluntary improvement efforts among vessel owners."
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