On the 23rd (Thursday), Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Korea Industrial Complex Corporation, Jeonnam Province, Yeosu National Industrial Complex company unions, Plant Construction Union, etc. attended
Kim Hoe-jae: "A special law must be enacted promptly to create a safe working environment in the industrial complex"
[Yeosu=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Cheol-hoon] Kim Hoe-jae, a member of the National Assembly from the Democratic Party of Korea (Yeosu City Eul, Jeollanam-do), announced on the 23rd that he held a meeting to discuss the enactment of a special law for aging national industrial complexes at the Jeollanam-do Student Education and Culture Center in Yeosu City.
Assemblyman Kim Hoe-jae organized the meeting to discuss systematic safety management and securing sustainability measures for aging national industrial complexes where industrial accidents continue due to outdated facilities.
At today's meeting, Assemblyman Kim listened to the opinions of labor unions regarding the enactment of the special law for aging national industrial complexes and the reinforcement of the joint disaster prevention center, together with Kim Jong-ju, Senior Deputy Branch Manager of the Yeosu Branch of the Plant Construction Union, and labor union chairpersons of resident companies within the Yeosu National Industrial Complex (LG Chem Chairman Park Jun-cheol, DL Chemical Chairman Kim Kwang-yong, BASF Branch Manager Lee Seung-chul, KRCC Chairman Jeong Seon-gyu, Huchems Chairman Park Jong-tae, etc.).
Also present were Yeosu City Deputy Mayor Park Hyun-sik, Jeollanam-do Social Disaster Division Chief Kim Seong-hoon, officials from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and the Korea Industrial Complex Corporation. They discussed measures to ensure safety in aging national industrial complexes with high disaster risk, the promotion of regional headquarters systems, and the introduction of appropriate bid price systems.
The labor representatives attending the meeting unanimously emphasized the need for systematic safety management of aging national industrial complexes.
Kim Jong-ju, Senior Deputy Branch Manager of the Plant Construction Union Yeosu Branch, said, "Despite the enforcement of the Serious Accident Punishment Act in January, a tragic accident occurred at Yeocheon NCC," adding, "I hope the special law for aging national industrial complexes will be promptly proposed to establish a safe Yeosu Industrial Complex."
Park Jun-cheol, LG Chem Labor Union Chairman, said, "Nothing is more important than human life," and expressed hope that "the enactment of the special law for aging national industrial complexes will create workplaces where workers can work safely."
Kim Kwang-yong, DL Chemical Labor Union Chairman, said, "Practical measures reflecting the voices from the field should be prepared in the special law for aging national industrial complexes," adding, "I hope structural issues as well as aging facilities will be discussed, and I appreciate the opportunity to hold this meeting today."
Kim Seong-hoon, Jeollanam-do Social Disaster Division Chief, said, "Among aging chemical industrial complexes nationwide, the Yeosu National Industrial Complex has the highest number of safety accidents and casualties," emphasizing, "A systematic maintenance plan for disaster prevention in aging chemical industrial complexes is necessary." He added, "Jeollanam-do is promoting a pilot project for precision safety inspections to ensure safety in aging chemical industrial complexes."
Assemblyman Kim Hoe-jae pointed out, "In aging industrial complexes over 20 years old, 242 casualties from major accidents have occurred, accounting for 98.4% of all major accident casualties in industrial complexes," and warned, "Due to outdated facilities, explosions and chemical accidents continue, turning aging national industrial complexes into 'powder kegs.'"
He continued, "It is necessary to establish a safety management system for aging national industrial complexes and enact a special law that includes sustainability support measures," and stated, "I will use the opinions from the meeting as a milestone for the special law on aging national industrial complexes and discuss them with the government and local governments."
Assemblyman Kim is promoting legislation for the special law on aging national industrial complexes, which includes plans to build safety infrastructure and management systems, as well as support measures for sustainability such as structural upgrading and smart green projects for aging national industrial complexes.
Yeosu=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Cheol-hoon cch@asiae.co.kr
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