Eunma Apartment Burial Accident: Family Files Serious Accidents Punishment Act Complaint Against Management Office Director and Company

The family of a worker who died during a sewage pipe replacement project at Eunma Apartment in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, has filed a complaint against the apartment management office director and other related parties for alleged violations of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act.

The Suseo Police Station in Seoul announced on July 22 that the family of the deceased, identified as Yoo (age 69), has filed charges against the apartment management office director and the contracted management company for violating the Serious Accidents Punishment Act (industrial accident resulting in death), the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and for occupational negligence resulting in death. The police have transferred the case to the Seoul Regional Employment and Labor Office.

According to reports, the complaint filed by the family alleges that the apartment management office director failed to select an external contractor for the specialized project, which should have been handled by an outsourced company, and instead assigned the work to internal staff.

Previously, Yoo, who had worked as a contract employee for the management company, was buried and killed when a pile of earth collapsed during a sewage pipe replacement project at a depth of about 2 meters underground at Eunma Apartment in Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu, on June 13. Yoo had worked in the apartment's mechanical room for 10 years as an employee of the management company.

In addition to this case, the police are also investigating three other individuals, including the project manager, who have been booked on charges of occupational negligence resulting in death.