[2021 National Audit] "Serious Situation in Rural Areas Ahead of the Serious Accident Punishment Act Enforcement... 256 Annual Deaths on Average"

Seosamsok "Agriculture, One of ILO's Top 3 Hazardous Industries... Efforts to Establish Dedicated Department and Secure Budget"

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] It has been revealed that an average of 256 people die annually from fatal accidents in the agricultural field. There is an opinion that the political circles and the government should work together to secure government organizations and budgets related to agricultural safety disasters.

On the 20th, Seo Samsuk, a member of the National Assembly’s Agriculture, Forestry, Livestock, Food, and Maritime Affairs Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, is expected to point out during the comprehensive audit of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and its affiliated agencies that "Although the prevention of safety disasters is being emphasized ahead of the enforcement of the Serious Accident Punishment Act next year, research and projects related to the prevention of agricultural disasters are being neglected by the government."

According to the 'Status of Agricultural Safety Disaster Prevention Management' data received by Representative Seo from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Rural Development Administration, as of last year, the accident rate for agricultural safety insurance was 6.0%, and the accident rate for industrial accident compensation insurance was 0.6%. Representative Seo explained that this is ten times higher than other industries. Due to rural aging and the expansion of agricultural machinery use, an average of 256 people died annually from agricultural work accidents over the five years from 2016 to 2020. Considering that the agricultural safety insurance subscription rate was 65.2% as of last year, the actual number of deaths is estimated to be higher.

Based on the basic plan prepared every five years by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the Rural Development Administration establishes and implements the 'Agricultural Work Safety Disaster Prevention Implementation Plan' annually. However, related projects have hardly produced any effects.

For example, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs’ project to designate and operate 'Agricultural Safety and Health Centers' has only reflected 600 million KRW out of the 1.6 billion KRW budget for next year. The Rural Development Administration’s organization responsible for agricultural safety disaster prevention work is only a temporary organization operating until October 2024. The 'Research on Technology Development for Agricultural Safety Disaster Management' project has secured only 800 million KRW out of the 2 billion KRW budget for next year.

Representative Seo said, "The International Labour Organization (ILO) classifies agriculture as one of the three major hazardous industries along with mining and construction, and agricultural workers are exposed to the risk of agricultural work accidents," adding, "The National Assembly and the government must work together to establish a dedicated department for supporting agricultural safety disaster prevention and secure the related budget for next year."