"Refusing Investigation Citing Simple Accident" ... Bereaved Family of Sacheon Quarry Death Accident Files Complaint Against Initial Investigation Police and Labor Department Staff for 'Negligent Investigation'

“We found out late that there was a blasting at the time of the accident and begged for a thorough investigation, but we were refused.”

The bereaved family of the ‘Gyeongnam Sacheon Quarry Vehicle Fall Death Accident,’ which was almost closed as a simple accident but was revealed as an industrial disaster after reinvestigation, said this while filing complaints against the police and Ministry of Employment and Labor officials who conducted the initial investigation.

The Gyeongnam Headquarters of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and the bereaved families of the 'Gyeongnam Sacheon Quarry Vehicle Fall Death Accident' are holding a press conference in front of the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency.
[Photo by Lee Seryeong]

The Gyeongnam Headquarters of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) and the bereaved family held a press conference in front of the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency on the 22nd, stating, “Those who fabricated and concealed the serious accident that caused two deaths and failed to fulfill their responsibilities are still performing their duties in their positions.”

They explained, “We are filing complaints and requesting audits to urge accountability from the Sacheon Police Station and the Jinju branch of the Ministry of Employment and Labor, who concealed the incident and neglected their duties.”

Earlier, at 12:06 p.m. on August 2, an SUV driving on a quarry road of an aggregate production company in Sacheon-eup, Sacheon-si, fell 4 meters down, severely injuring the driver, Mr. A, in his 60s, and passenger Mr. B, in his 50s, who both eventually died from head injuries.

The Sacheon Police Station, which initially investigated the case, judged it as a simple traffic accident where the vehicle overturned due to driver error and the occupants died after hitting their heads on sharp rocks.

However, the bereaved family, having secured CCTV footage from the scene, claimed it was a serious industrial accident based on the fact that blasting occurred as the vehicle approached the area where explosives were installed, sparking controversy over a poor investigation, and the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency took over the case.

The Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency, which launched a reinvestigation, concluded through analysis by the National Forensic Service, CCTV footage, and vehicle event data recorder (EDR) that blasting was conducted without following safety regulations, and flying rocks hit the vehicle and victims, causing the vehicle to fall and the victims to die.

Subsequently, the blasting team leader, Mr. C, in his 40s, was sent to prosecution without detention on charges including professional negligence causing death on the 14th.

A vehicle driving on the road of a quarry operated by a construction aggregate company in Sacheon, Gyeongnam, fell, and firefighters who arrived at the scene are inspecting the inside of the vehicle.
[Photo by Gyeongnam Fire Headquarters]

The wife of the deceased Mr. B said at the press conference, “A week after losing my husband so tragically, late at night, I found out through the CCTV app on my husband’s phone that blasting occurred at the time of the accident.”

“The next morning, I begged the Sacheon Police Station to investigate whether the accident was caused by blasting, but they only said the accident and blasting were unlikely related and refused to transfer the case to another department,” she said, adding, “The Jinju branch of the Ministry of Employment and Labor also did not accept the request to stop work.”

She added, “After the case was transferred to the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency, the truth came out, and I was informed that additional remains of my husband were found inside the accident vehicle.”

Mrs. B appealed, “Please investigate all the poor investigations by the Sacheon police and the Jinju branch of the Ministry of Employment and Labor, who did not conduct the investigation with proper responsibility and dedication from the beginning, and make sure to hold them accountable and clear the injustice against the deceased.”

Kim Eun-hyung, head of the Gyeongnam Headquarters of the KCTU, said, “The incident was concealed from the start, and the Sacheon Police Station and the Ministry of Employment and Labor’s local branch ignored the numerous pieces of evidence at the scene and only listened to the company’s claims.”

“The prosecutor who initially handled the case is now in charge again, but it is doubtful whether they will actively investigate,” he said.

“We also urge a forced investigation and travel ban order on the company’s actual responsible managers,” he added. “The Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency must conduct a thorough investigation and audit, punish those involved, and the Jinju District Prosecutor’s Office should actively investigate to uncover the truth.”

The bereaved family of the 'Gyeongnam Sacheon Quarry Vehicle Fall Fatality' and Kim Eun-hyung, head of the Gyeongnam branch of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, are submitting a letter of appreciation and a complaint to the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency.
[Photo by Lee Se-ryeong]

After the press conference, the KCTU and the bereaved family visited the civil affairs office of the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency and filed complaints against three employees of the Sacheon Police Station Traffic Division and two officials from the Jinju branch of the Ministry of Employment and Labor for dereliction of duty, evidence destruction, and obstruction of autopsy.

They also requested an audit of the three employees of the Sacheon Police Station Traffic Division and the chief of the Sacheon Police Station.