Suncheon-si Establishes Response System Following Enforcement of the Serious Accident Punishment Act

Establishment of Dedicated Task Force for Major Accidents, Training Conducted for Suncheon City Hall Officials

[Suncheon=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Hyung-kwon] Suncheon City, Jeollanam-do announced on the 28th that it has actively responded to the enforcement of the "Serious Accident Punishment Act," which mainly focuses on preventing serious industrial and citizen accidents, by establishing a dedicated organization, the Serious Accident TF Team, and conducting training for Suncheon City Hall officials.

The Serious Accident TF Team is composed of safety managers and health managers who are experts in related fields, and will establish a comprehensive plan for preventing serious accidents as the control tower for disaster-related matters in Suncheon City.

The team will focus on confirming budget allocation for accident prevention, compliance with various obligations under related laws, promotion, and completion of training, and especially through regular and special inspections, will proactively identify hazardous and dangerous factors in advance to concentrate on preventing serious accidents.

Additionally, on the 24th, a professional instructor was invited to the city hall's small conference room to conduct training for all employees, enhancing understanding of the Serious Accident Punishment Act.

A representative from Suncheon City’s Safety General Division stated, “To complete a safer and more comfortable Suncheon, we will establish a response system for preventing serious accidents and do our best to ensure that no serious accidents occur at any workplace in Suncheon City.”

Meanwhile, the Serious Accident Punishment Act is a law aimed at addressing the gaps in the current Occupational Safety and Health Act, which does not hold primary contractors responsible. It expands the scope of responsibility to include business owners and management officials and strengthens penalties for violations. If a serious accident such as a fatality occurs, business owners and management officials may face imprisonment of more than one year or fines of up to 1 billion KRW.