Chose a Construction Site for His First Field Visit After Taking Office
"Will Seek Solutions for Safer Workplaces in the Field"
Employment and Labor Minister Younghoon Kim made an unannounced inspection of safety conditions at a construction site in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, on the 22nd.
Employment and Labor Minister Younghoon Kim is inspecting safety conditions at a construction site in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, on the 22nd. Ministry of Employment and Labor
On this afternoon, Minister Kim chose a construction site for his first field visit since taking office. He focused on whether safety regulations to prevent frequent fall accidents at construction sites were being properly followed. When several violations of the law were found during the inspection, he issued a warning, urging immediate rectification.
Minister Kim also called for thorough measures to prevent heat-related illnesses due to the heatwave. He provided heatwave prevention kits and ice cream products to workers at the site.
Minister Kim stated, "To shed the disgraceful label of being a 'republic of industrial accidents,' our approach to worker safety must be different from the past." He added, "We will take a zero-tolerance approach to accidents characteristic of developing countries, such as repeated falls, entrapments, and collapses, as well as accidents caused by discrimination."
He went on to say, "Today's inspection will not be a one-time event. I will personally visit sites every week to conduct unannounced inspections and supervision." He continued, "By communicating directly with industrial safety inspectors, I will seek fundamental solutions for creating safer workplaces at the field level."
On the morning of his appointment, Minister Kim visited the Seoul National Cemetery in Dongjak-gu, Seoul. Just before the unannounced inspection at the construction site, he visited the Moran Park Democracy Martyrs' Cemetery in Gyeonggi Province, a site known for its historical significance in the democratization movement, and paid his respects at the graves of the late Jeon Taeil, as well as Baek Giwan and Kim Geumsoo.
At this site, Minister Kim emphasized, "I will carry on Jeon Taeil's spirit as a core value for building a society where labor is respected." He added, "Following the teachings of Baek Giwan and Kim Geumsoo, I will engage with the lives of working people to find policy solutions for labor, and address real-world issues through social dialogue."
Meanwhile, as his first personnel appointment after taking office, Minister Kim named Kwon Sang Yoon, head of the Gumi branch of the Ministry of Employment and Labor, as his secretary. Traditionally, the minister's secretary has been selected from grade 5 administrative exam passers or heads of policy departments within the ministry, but this time, a fieldwork expert who entered through the open competitive grade 7 exam and is not a civil service exam passer was chosen.
Minister Kim stated, "Going forward, regardless of entry route or background, I will adhere to a principle of 'competency-based practical appointments,' selecting talented individuals who are familiar with the field and skilled in communication, and assigning them to the right positions." He added, "I will lead a public service culture that implements policies the public wants and can truly feel."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
