"Company-wide Safety Inspections Implemented... Determined to Overhaul Safety with a Life-or-Death Resolve"
President Lee Jaemyung Strongly Criticizes: "Murder by Willful Negligence"
Ministry of Employment and Labor Launches Unannounced Inspections at All Sites
Jeong Heemin, CEO of POSCO E&C, issued an official apology on July 29 regarding a series of serious industrial accidents that have resulted in the deaths of five workers so far this year. The fatal accident that occurred the previous day at the Hamyang-Changnyeong Expressway construction site in South Gyeongsang Province marked the fourth fatal incident at a company-operated site in 2025.
Heemin Jung, President of POSCO E&C, is offering an apology to related parties before delivering a statement regarding the consecutive on-site fatal accidents at the headquarters in Songdo, Incheon, on the 29th. Photo by Yonhap News.
At a press conference held at the company's headquarters in Songdo, Incheon, Jeong stated, "I express my deepest condolences to the deceased who tragically lost their life in yesterday's accident," and added, "I am devastated that another fatal accident has occurred, and I feel a profound sense of responsibility."
Jeong further emphasized, "We have immediately halted all work at every site and are conducting an emergency company-wide safety inspection. Work will only resume at locations where safety has been verified, following an indefinite suspension. With a life-or-death determination, we will completely overhaul our safety management system."
Kim Hyunchul, head of the Safety and Health Center at POSCO E&C, said, "There are limitations to our internal systems," and added, "We will form a safety task force that includes external experts to identify the structural causes of these incidents."
Earlier that morning, during a Cabinet meeting, President Lee Jaemyung strongly criticized the situation, stating, "It is reported that POSCO E&C has experienced its fifth industrial accident resulting in death this year," and questioned, "Is this not tantamount to murder by willful negligence?" In fact, since the Serious Accidents Punishment Act came into effect, POSCO E&C has recorded a total of eight fatal accidents over the past three years.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor has launched an immediate response to POSCO E&C. Minister Kim Younghoon pointed out, "Despite being subjected to intensive supervision for three separate serious accidents already this year, another accident has occurred," and stated, "This represents a failure of safety management by the headquarters and the CEO."
Minister Kim instructed, "Commence unannounced industrial safety and health inspections at all 65 POSCO E&C construction sites nationwide." The ministry has also issued a stop-work order for all slope reinforcement operations at the site where the accident occurred.
Meanwhile, POSCO E&C has experienced a total of four serious industrial accidents resulting in five deaths this year: a fatal fall at an apartment construction site in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province in January; a collapse at the Shin Ansan Line construction site in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi Province in April; another fatal fall at a mixed-use residential site in Daegu in April; and this month's drilling rig entrapment accident at the Hamyang-Changnyeong Expressway site.
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