Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party of Korea presidential candidate, noted on the 20th regarding the 'serious accident punishment law,' which Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party termed as 'an evil law,' that it is a law made through agreement between the ruling and opposition parties, stating, 'Can we claim it is an evil law after agreeing and signing off together?'
During a campaign speech in Uijeongbu City, Gyeonggi Province, on the same day, the candidate remarked, 'There are those saying we should abolish the serious accident law, calling it an evil law, but first, this law is one that was agreed upon by both the ruling and opposition parties.'
Earlier, candidate Kim Moon-soo said during a congratulatory speech at a breakfast lecture for the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises on the 15th that regarding the serious accident punishment law, 'When I become the decision-maker, I will definitely amend this evil law so that it no longer troubles you.' This was a direct criticism from the candidate.
The candidate then mentioned the fatal accident that occurred early the previous morning at the SPC Samlip factory in Siheung City, Gyeonggi Province.
He stated, 'There are too many people who go to work to make a living but do not return home,' and 'South Korea is the country with the highest number of workplace fatalities in the world.'
He further questioned, 'Shouldn't we change this bleak reality where the things we do to live become matters of life and death?'
The candidate also expressed, 'Shouldn't we ensure that safety measures mandated by law are being implemented in industrial sites?' and added, 'Of course, following these established rules will cost a lot of money, but isn't it necessary to spend money to earn money?'
He continued, 'It is normal to hold someone accountable when they violate the law and someone is harmed.'
He added, 'After implementing this for a few years, if business owners come to realize, 'If I make a mistake, I will also be punished,' then the number of fatalities significantly decreased; if a few business owners advocate for repeal thinking it will make things easier for them, can we side with them?'
Meanwhile, the candidate expressed condolences on Facebook regarding the worker's death at the SPC Samlip factory. He said, 'In the SPC-affiliated bakery factory in Pyeongtaek, there was a worker death incident in October 2022 as well,' and added, 'At that time, the company's CEO apologized in front of the bereaved families and the public and promised to prevent recurrence, but I cannot contain my devastation over the fact that similar incidents have repeated.'
He reiterated, 'Safety in industrial sites is not optional but essential,' stating, 'Accidents may occur unexpectedly, but industrial accidents should not be repetitive.'