Mid-sized Companies Say "Serious Accident Punishment Act Lacks Validity, Legislative Supplementation Needed"

Junggyeonryeon to Hold '2024 1st Keypoint Seminar' on the 26th

To enhance the effectiveness of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act, which was expanded to workplaces with fewer than 50 employees this January, there is an urgent need for continuous supplementary legislation to correct the issues pointed out even before its implementation.

The Korea Federation of Medium-sized Enterprises (KFME) stated this at the '2024 1st Key Point Seminar' held on the 26th under the theme 'Serious Accidents Punishment Act, Medium-sized Enterprises' Response Strategy.' Lee Hojun, Executive Vice President of KFME, said, “The practical and logical vulnerabilities of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act, which was implemented without properly reflecting the concerns long raised by the business community, have driven medium and small enterprises into the risk of management gaps.”

Lee Ho-jun, Executive Vice President of the Korea Federation of Medium-sized Enterprises, is delivering the opening remarks at the "2024 1st Keypoint Seminar" on the 26th.

Vice President Lee said, “We must preserve the value of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act as a legal foundation for coexistence through reasonable supplementary legislation, such as refining ambiguous obligation fulfillment standards and correcting the unrealistic imposition of heavy penalties even for negligence rather than intentional acts.”

The seminar, which included participation from the law firm DaeRyukAju, consisted of expert lectures and Q&A sessions on solutions for responding to the Serious Accidents Punishment Act. Attorney Cha Dong-eon of DaeRyukAju Law Firm stated, “For responding to investigations of serious accidents, which require rapid action such as initial measures by an internal crisis response team based on organic cooperation with accident-related departments and proof of compliance with safety and health obligations, establishing a highly specialized compliance system is essential.”

Vice President Lee emphasized, “Since the first actual imprisonment sentence under the Serious Accidents Punishment Act last year, the strict punishments and the gap between the law and the field it does not fully cover have rather caused greater fear and concern,” adding, “We will directly strengthen the response capabilities of medium-sized enterprises by expanding industrial accident-related education and consulting, while promoting additional supplementary legislation for the Serious Accidents Punishment Act, which includes contradictory provisions. In the long term, we will communicate with the government and the National Assembly to lead a policy shift focusing more on prevention than punishment.”