Government Conducts Special Safety Inspections at 35 Mines

Mine Collapse Accident Site Inspection in Bonghwa... Samples Collected to Identify Cause
(Bonghwa=Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Hyuntae = On the afternoon of the 7th of last month, police forensic investigators and officials from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy collected samples to determine the cause of the mine collapse accident at the site in Bonghwa-gun, Gyeongbuk. Two miners who were trapped in the collapse accident at this mine on the 26th of last month were rescued on the 4th. November 7, 2022
mtkht@yna.co.kr
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[Asia Economy Sejong=Reporter Lee Jun-hyung] The government is strengthening mine safety inspections following the Bonghwa mine accident, where two miners were buried but miraculously survived.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced that Cheon Young-gil, Director of the Energy Industry Office at the Ministry, visited the Dongbu Mine Safety Office on the 8th to receive reports on the current status of mine safety management and special safety inspections. The ministry has formed a public-private joint inspection team centered on four mine safety offices and has been conducting special mine safety inspections on some domestic mines since last month. The special safety inspection targets are 35 mines out of 325 operating mines nationwide that have had accident records in the past three years.

Director Cheon emphasized the need to strengthen the existing safety management system. He said, “To prevent recurrence of similar accidents like the Bonghwa mine accident, current safety inspections must be further strengthened,” adding, “The Mine Safety Office should thoroughly carry out type-specific safety inspections to ensure that safety vulnerabilities are fully checked for each mine subject to special safety inspections.”

On the same day, Director Cheon also visited the molybdenum mine located in Jecheon, Chungbuk. This mine is the only one in the country producing the critical mineral molybdenum and is one of the special safety inspection targets. Director Cheon toured the underground mining site of the Chungbuk molybdenum mine and inspected the safety status of the mine facilities.

Meanwhile, the Ministry plans to complete the special safety inspections of the 35 mines within this year. By the first half of next year, the ministry will establish safety management plans tailored to the characteristics of each mine and will also conduct safety inspections on the remaining approximately 290 operating mines.

Director Cheon stated, “No safety measure in mines is ever excessive,” and urged, “Taking this special inspection as an opportunity, the Mine Safety Office should manage and supervise the mine safety management system more thoroughly to prevent accidents and do their utmost.”