One Death Every Two Days During Farm Work... Government Remains Idle

No Safety Measures in Place Against Wild Animal Attacks, Including Wild Boars
Seo Samsuk: "Urgent Need for Continuous Response and Practical Safety Systems"

Seosamsuk, member of the Democratic Party of Korea.

With over 1,500 fatalities recorded during farm work in the past six years, safety issues in the agricultural sector have become a major concern. In particular, despite the steady occurrence of fatal incidents caused by wild animal attacks each year, critics point out that the government has failed to implement adequate preventive measures.

According to materials submitted by Assemblyman Seo Samsuk of the Democratic Party of Korea (Yeongam, Muan, and Shinan in South Jeolla Province) from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs for the parliamentary audit, a total of 1,527 people have died during farm work over the past six years, averaging 254 deaths per year-or roughly one death every two days.

The annual number of fatalities was as follows: 244 in 2019, 253 in 2020, 228 in 2021, 252 in 2022, 253 in 2023, and 297 in 2024, showing a steady upward trend. Notably, deaths caused by illnesses or diseases last year totaled 43, more than double the 2019-2024 average of 21 cases. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs attributed this spike to a surge in heat-related illnesses due to heatwaves. By region, North Gyeongsang Province had the highest number of deaths at 289, followed by South Gyeongsang Province with 277, South Jeolla Province with 234, South Chungcheong Province with 205, and North Jeolla Province with 175.

The issue is that, although fatalities from animal attacks occur every year, government countermeasures remain insufficient. According to data from the Rural Development Administration, the only safety measure developed for animal attacks during farm work was a "wild boar attack trap" project in 2017, and no further research or development has been conducted since then.

Between 2019 and 2024, deaths caused by wild boar attacks were as follows: 5 in 2019, 7 in 2020, 13 in 2021, 8 in 2022, 6 in 2023, and 6 in 2024, with an average of 7.5 wild boar attack fatalities per year, indicating the limited effectiveness of existing measures.

Assemblyman Seo stated, "Although the Rural Development Administration, which has been delegated authority by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, is developing various convenience equipment for farm work safety, the fact that fatalities peaked in 2024 and disease-related damages have worsened calls for a thorough review of their effectiveness." He added, "The government must urgently establish a continuous response system and implement practical safety measures at the national level to address the recurring wild animal attacks, such as those by wild boars, that occur every year."