On August 6, President Lee Jaemyung ordered a thorough investigation into the series of accidents that occurred at POSCO E&C and instructed officials to report on all possible sanctions, including the revocation of the company's construction license.
Kang Yujeong, spokesperson for the presidential office, held a briefing at the Yongsan presidential office that day and stated, "President Lee directed that POSCO E&C, which was responsible for consecutive fatal accidents, be thoroughly checked for compliance with regulations, and that a detailed investigation be conducted into whether the accidents could have been prevented."
President Lee also requested that all legally possible measures be identified and reported, including the cancellation of the construction license and prohibition from bidding on public contracts. At the same time, he instructed officials to consider all possible measures, such as punitive damages, to ensure that industrial accidents are not repeated.
On August 5, a Myanmar worker in his 30s was electrocuted and fell into a coma at the POSCO E&C construction site for the Gwangmyeong-Seoul Expressway in Gyeonggi Province. This occurred just one week after a worker died in a crushing accident on July 28 during construction on the Hamyang-Ulsan Expressway, also managed by POSCO E&C.
On July 29, President Lee made strong criticisms of POSCO E&C's industrial accident, even using the phrase "murder by willful negligence." In response, POSCO E&C suspended work at all construction sites nationwide and conducted safety inspections, but failed to prevent further industrial accidents.
President Lee has been on vacation since August 4 for five days. On August 5, spokesperson Kang explained that President Lee had received a related report and stated, "There may be a response after his vacation."
On the evening of August 5, POSCO E&C President Jung Heemin tendered his resignation.
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