18 Small and Medium Enterprises and Construction Industry Groups Issue Statement Urging Extension of Grace Period for the Act on Small and Medium Enterprises with Fewer Than 50 Employees

"'Act to Extend the Grace Period for the Serious Accident Punishment Act for Companies with Fewer Than 50 Employees' Must Be Promptly Passed by the National Assembly"

With the application of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act to workplaces with fewer than 50 employees just two months away, the small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector has called for a postponement of its enforcement. On the 20th, the Korea Federation of SMEs (Chairman Kim Ki-moon) and 18 other SME and construction industry organizations held a press conference at the National Assembly's 2nd floor Communication Hall, announcing the 'SME Sector Statement Urging Extension of the Postponement Period for the Serious Accidents Punishment Act for Workplaces with Fewer than 50 Employees.'

On this day, the SME and construction sectors stated, "Although only two months remain before the Serious Accidents Punishment Act applies to workplaces with fewer than 50 employees, 80% are still unprepared," urging the National Assembly to pass the 'Bill to Extend the Postponement of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act for Workplaces with Fewer than 50 Employees' so that small-scale workplaces can also establish safe working environments.

Jung Yun-mo, Executive Vice President of the Korea Federation of SMEs (fifth from the left), is speaking at a press conference held at the National Assembly Communication Office on the 20th.

Participants expressed in the statement, "If the Serious Accidents Punishment Act is enforced without postponement in two months, there is a concern that not only will confusion arise on-site, but many companies may give up on preparation altogether," appealing, "Please give small-scale workplaces the opportunity to create safe workplaces."

They particularly emphasized, "SME owners share the same principle that no worker should die or be injured while working," adding, "If the Act is applied excessively, resulting in the proliferation of offenders and business bankruptcies, the damage will affect not only SME owners but also their employees."

Jung Yoon-mo, the full-time vice chairman of the Korea Federation of SMEs, stated, "If the law is applied as is, ignoring the reality of SMEs, the majority of SMEs, where business owners perform multiple roles including sales, production, and management, will face a serious management crisis," and emphasized, "The government and the National Assembly should extend the postponement period for the Serious Accidents Punishment Act for workplaces with fewer than 50 employees and significantly increase the budget for industrial accident prevention support, focusing on practical accident prevention rather than punishing business owners."