Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon stated, "Our neighbors who went to work to make a living are facing death," and emphasized, "We must change long-standing systems, cultures, and customs."
On the 12th, Governor Kim posted on his social media, "A woman in her 50s who was working at a bakery factory suffered an accident and ultimately passed away," criticizing, "This company caused a fatal industrial accident last year, received national criticism, and the management promised a public apology and measures to prevent recurrence."
He also shared the unfortunate situations, saying, "On the 9th, a commercial building construction site in Anseong collapsed, resulting in two deaths and one serious injury. The two deceased were young brothers of Vietnamese nationality," and "In June, a 30-year-old young worker who was moving carts at a large discount store in Hanam collapsed and lost his life. It is said that the day before the accident, he walked 43,000 steps, covering 26 km, during a heatwave for 10 hours."
He continued, "This should not be overlooked, overshadowed by other issues such as the random stabbing incident in Seohyeon-dong, the World Scout Jamboree, and typhoons," and lamented, "According to the official statistics from the Ministry of Employment and Labor in 2022, 2,223 precious lives were lost due to accidents or illnesses at workplaces. Although we have become one of the world's top 10 economic powers, South Korea is far behind in industrial accident prevention."
In particular, he pointed out, "As new forms of labor such as platform work increase, new and diverse types of industrial accidents are also occurring," and criticized, "The root of industrial accidents is a culture that prioritizes 'profit and efficiency' over 'life and safety,' a distorted legacy from the development era when making a living was the top priority."
Furthermore, he advised, "Since the enforcement of the Serious Accident Punishment Act, large corporations have only increased expenses for hiring law firms to defend against employer penalties, but it is unclear how much budget has actually been increased to prevent industrial accidents," and urged, "We must make a culture that respects life a competitive advantage for our companies and Korean society."
He also emphasized, "We need to create a structure where companies that take care of workers who work safely and meticulously, even if it takes more time and money, generate greater profits," and stressed, "Companies, workers, local governments, and ordinary citizens must all come together to change systems, cultures, and long-standing customs."
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