Deputy Minister of Employment: "Shipbuilding Industry Must Reduce Fatal Accidents and Help Foreign Workers Adapt"

Kim Min-seok Holds Meeting with Five Major Shipbuilders
Calls for Efforts to Reduce Fatal Accidents and Improve Adaptability of Foreign Workforce

Kim Min-seok, Vice Minister of Employment and Labor, said on the 15th that efforts must be made to reduce fatal accidents and improve the adaptability of the increasing foreign workforce in the shipbuilding industry.

On the same day, Vice Minister Kim held a meeting at the Royal Hotel Seoul with CEOs and safety officers from the five major shipbuilders: HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, Hanwha Ocean, Samsung Heavy Industries, HD Hyundai Samho, and HD Hyundai Mipo, urging them accordingly.

Kim Min-seok, Vice Minister of Employment and Labor, speaking during a meeting with CEOs and safety officers of the five major shipbuilders?HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, Hanwha Ocean, Samsung Heavy Industries, HD Hyundai Samho, and HD Hyundai Mipo?at the Royal Hotel Seoul on the 15th. Photo by Ministry of Employment and Labor

This meeting was organized to strengthen industrial accident prevention measures, as the shipbuilding industry experienced numerous serious accidents last year, including the deaths of 20 workers.

The attendees reviewed the major industrial accident risk factors in the shipbuilding industry and discussed preventive measures. They also shared updates on serious accident prevention activities by each shipbuilder, foreign workforce recruitment and management plans, and efforts to promote mutual cooperation.

Vice Minister Kim said, "It is necessary to thoroughly analyze the frequently occurring types and causes of accidents in the shipbuilding industry, benchmark excellent cases from other workplaces, and make the best efforts to reduce fatal accidents in the industry."

He emphasized, "Since a high proportion of accidents involve subcontractors, it is essential to establish a system to ensure the safety and health of subcontractor workers and to thoroughly verify safety and health measures during subcontractor operations."

Vice Minister Kim also stated, "Considering industry requests, the use of foreign workers in the shipbuilding industry has more than doubled," adding, "companies need to make efforts to improve the skills and adaptability of foreign workers."

He further noted, "Subcontractors must have competitiveness to enable sustainable growth," and pointed out, "mutual cooperation efforts such as expanding welfare and improving employment conditions for subcontractors are necessary so that the shipbuilding industry can become a quality workplace preferred by domestic workers as well."