The representative of a company where a worker died at a new construction site in Seocho-gu, Seoul, was sentenced to a suspended prison term in the first trial. This is the first guilty verdict given to a company representative in the Seoul area under the Serious Accidents Punishment Act.
On the 21st, Judge Lee Jong-min of the Criminal Division 3 at the Seoul Central District Court sentenced Mr. Lee (68), the representative of Company A, who was indicted for violating the Serious Accidents Punishment Act (industrial accident causing death), to one year in prison with a two-year suspension. The company was fined 50 million won.
The court stated, "Considering all the evidence, all charges can be recognized as guilty," and added, "After the accident, the defendant set up a safety and health plan, conducted risk assessments, pledged not to reoffend, and reached an amicable agreement with the bereaved family."
Mr. Lee and the company were brought to trial in June for failing to fulfill their safety and health obligations at a new construction site in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on March 25 of last year, which resulted in the death of worker Mr. B. The prosecution stated that this was the first case in Seoul where the company representative was indicted under the Serious Accidents Punishment Act for an industrial accident.
Mr. B died after falling while performing painting work at the site. Investigations revealed that basic safety measures such as wearing safety harnesses or fall protection facilities were not implemented. Four months before the accident, the site safety manager resigned, and due to labor cost burdens and difficulties in hiring, no replacement was employed; instead, a head office employee was nominally designated as the safety manager.
The company had been repeatedly pointed out by the Employment and Labor Office for inadequate fall protection facilities before the accident and had been fined dozens of times.
Enacted in 2021 and enforced since last year, the Serious Accidents Punishment Act stipulates that if a serious accident causing one or more deaths occurs, the employer who fails to fulfill accident prevention obligations shall be punished with imprisonment of at least one year or a fine of up to 1 billion won.
Meanwhile, the prosecution stated regarding this verdict, "We will review the judgment and decide whether to appeal."
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