Seoul Vocational High School Interns Granted 'Right to Refuse Work'

San-an-beop 'Work Suspension Right' Applied in Field Training Ordinance Revision
Inspection of 1,300 Companies for Field Training Finds 2 Cases of Facility Deficiencies and Corrective Actions

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] As a follow-up measure related to the death accident of vocational high school field trainees, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education has decided to grant 'the right to refuse work' to field trainees.

On the 15th, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education announced that as a follow-up measure to the special safety inspection of vocational high school field training conducted from the 26th of last month to the 5th of this month, it will promote an ordinance revision including the right to refuse work for field trainees and continuous industrial safety inspections for companies.

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education plans to apply the 'right to stop work' under Article 52 of the Industrial Safety and Health Act to the ordinance concerning support for high school field training in Seoul, but will pursue an ordinance revision with a broader concept.

The plan is to include in Article 15, Paragraph 3 of the ordinance the clause stating, "Field trainees may refuse or stop field training if there is a risk of industrial accidents or physical or mental hazards occurring during field training." Paragraphs 4 and 5 include provisions that trainees who refuse or stop training must report to the relevant company and school principal, and that the company and school principal must take necessary measures.

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education conducted on-site inspections of about 1,300 companies where approximately 2,500 students from 74 vocational high schools in the district are undergoing field training. As a result of the investigation, one case of facility inadequacy (one student returned to school) and one case of corrective action (one student transferred workplace) were taken. Other companies showed no particular issues in ▲establishing and implementing safety education plans, ▲facilities, equipment, and safety and health measures, ▲and COVID-19 related quarantine measures.

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education will conduct on-site guidance for companies operating field training until the end of the year even after the special safety inspection. When selecting companies for field training operation, ▲the relevance between the department major and the field training work, ▲the possibility of employment conversion according to student preference after training completion, ▲and the suitability of using company pre-inspection cards and industrial safety and health checklists will be strictly considered. The Employment Support Center and the Unfair Treatment Reporting Center will be operated continuously while strengthening guidance and inspection.

Labor rights education within schools, development and distribution of teaching materials to enhance the effectiveness of industrial safety and health and labor rights cyber education (12 hours), and class-by-class education will also be activated.

Cho Hee-yeon, Superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, said, "Along with strengthening labor rights education, we will promote ordinance revisions to include the 'right to refuse work' for field trainees in the laws related to field training. We will support vocational high school future talents to step on the stepping stones of industrial field training, get employed, and settle in society as excellent democratic citizens."