Returned to Work After Vacation Until the 8th
Heard About Fatal Accident at Uijeongbu Apartment Construction Site
Ordered Ministry of Employment and Labor: "Report All Measures for Preventing Industrial Accidents at the Cabinet Meeting on the 12th"
President Lee Jaemyung, who returned to work after completing his vacation by August 8, ordered the establishment of a direct reporting system to ensure that industrial accident cases are reported to him swiftly. This directive follows an incident in which a worker in his 50s died after falling at a new apartment construction site in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province.
On August 9, Kang Yujeong, spokesperson for the presidential office, stated during a briefing at the Yongsan presidential office, “President Lee has instructed that all future fatal industrial accidents be reported to him directly as quickly as possible,” and explained, “While the current system of sharing and disseminating information through the National Situation Room will be maintained, the president has ordered the establishment of a system that allows for even faster reporting to him.”
President Lee also instructed the Ministry of Employment and Labor to prepare a report on measures taken in response to industrial accidents for presentation at the Cabinet meeting on August 12. Spokesperson Kang said, “President Lee has directed the Ministry of Employment and Labor to report both the preventive and follow-up measures for industrial accident prevention, as well as actions taken to date, at the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday (the 12th),” adding, “This reflects President Lee’s determination to drastically reduce industrial accident fatalities.”
Spokesperson Kang further stated, “We will demonstrate the stature of the world’s tenth-largest economic power by ensuring that workers who go to work do not get injured or lose their lives, thereby proving our commitment to worker safety.” In response to a question about whether President Lee’s directive was prompted by problems in the existing reporting system, Kang replied, “There have been cases where accidents were only recognized after media reports. The focus is on systematizing the reporting process on a constant basis, rather than just reporting immediately. There is still a need to further systematize the reporting structure for industrial accidents, and that is why the president has ordered additional improvements.”
At around 3 p.m. the previous day, a worker in his 50s died after falling from the sixth floor at a new apartment construction site in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province, where DL Construction is the contractor. The worker reportedly suffered the accident while dismantling a safety net installed on the exterior wall of the apartment. He was transported to the hospital after receiving CPR but died during treatment.
The police and the Ministry of Employment and Labor are investigating the specific circumstances of the accident, including whether the fall prevention safety harness was properly secured.
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