Workplace deaths spark mass resignations, but punishment alone cannot solve the problem

Preventing workplace deaths requires more than punitive enforcement. It demands institutional support for safety, improved systems for accident prevention, and reform of the subcontracting structure.

President Lee Jae Myung listens to Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Young-hoon on industrial safety measures at a Cabinet meeting at the presidential office in Yongsan, central Seoul, on July 29. [YONHAP]

President Lee Jae Myung vowed to overhaul Korea’s “backward industrial accident republic” during a Cabinet meeting Tuesday, calling for stronger investigations, harsher penalties for corporate executives and higher fines to prevent workplace fatalities. The remarks came as the Ministry of Employment and Labor outlined measures to accelerate probes and increase punitive action.

Lee’s rhetoric has sharpened in recent weeks. After four worker deaths at construction sites this year and a severe electric shock incident on Aug. 4 that left a worker unconscious, he raised the possibility of prosecuting Posco Eco & Challenge (E&C) for “murder with willful negligence.” He also ordered officials to explore every legal means, including revoking the company’s construction license and barring it from public bids. On Aug. 9, a day after a fatal fall at a DL Construction apartment project, Lee directed that all fatal industrial accidents be reported to him immediately.

The administration has moved swiftly. On Aug. 12, labor inspectors and police raided Posco E&C’s headquarters and subcontractors, deploying more than 70 personnel. Facing the threat of tough punitive measures, industry leaders are on edge. In a show of accountability, DL Construction’s CEO, all executives, site managers and team leaders — 80 people in total — resigned on Aug. 11. Work at the company’s sites has halted, with DL Construction and parent company DL E&C suspending operations at more than 120 locations.

Lee is correct that nothing outweighs human life, and reducing workplace fatalities is imperative. Yet pressuring companies alone will not solve the problem. Fatal accidents are concentrated in construction and manufacturing, sectors characterized by multilayered subcontracting that pushes dangerous tasks down the chain. Lowest-bid contracts and tight project deadlines create conditions where safety is neglected. Communication barriers with a growing foreign work force and the aging of on-site labor add further risk.

Officials from the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency and the Ministry of Employment and Labor enter Posco Eco & Challenge’s headquarters in Incheon on Aug. 12 to conduct a raid in connection with the electrocution of a worker from Myanmar at the company’s highway construction site in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi. [YONHAP]

Without addressing these structural issues, punitive measures will have limited effect. Last year, 827 people died from workplace accidents — an average of 2.4 per day. While every accident should be thoroughly investigated and punished, zero fatalities is an unrealistic goal. Excessive focus on punishment could stifle activity in construction and manufacturing and encourage underreporting. The concealment rate for industrial accidents was already 66.6 percent in 2021, meaning two out of three cases were hidden.

Preventing workplace deaths requires more than punitive enforcement. It demands institutional support for safety, improved systems for accident prevention, and reform of the subcontracting structure. Without tackling these root causes, punitive action alone will not bring lasting change.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom staff.