Starting next year, investment in accident prevention facilities at small businesses and construction sites will be significantly increased. An additional 1,600 police personnel will be recruited to strengthen on-site investigation responses. The government has decided to increase the national safety budget, which includes employment safety nets and disaster responses.
On the 29th, the government confirmed the '2026 budget proposal' containing this content at the Cabinet meeting. The safety and employment-related budget for next year will be 17.6 trillion won, an increase of 1.6 trillion won compared to this year.
◇ Expansion of accident prevention facilities and safety management personnel
The government will increase the accident prevention budget to 1.5 trillion won next year, up by 200 billion won compared to this year, and will support essential safety facilities and smart equipment at 17,000 small businesses and construction sites. This includes fall protection nets, pinch and collision prevention facilities, and aerial work platforms. Support for accident prevention loans will expand from 2,600 sites to 3,054 sites, and an additional 1,500 sites will receive safety consulting.
A new accident prevention program in collaboration with local governments will be established, selecting 10 local governments through an application process. The government will also select 1,000 'work guardians' to conduct regular inspections in high-risk industries such as construction and shipbuilding and will introduce a reward system for reporting violations. Rewards for reporting violations of industrial safety and health regulations will be up to 500,000 won, while reporting concealed accidents will yield rewards of 5 million won.
In case of business failures, the government's compensation for unpaid wages will expand from the current three months' worth to six months' worth. A new system for employment improvement incentives for disabled individuals will be established, providing 350,000 to 450,000 won per month for businesses with fewer than 50 to 100 employees. Additionally, the number of foreign worker support centers will increase by two.
To promote a work-life balance for employees, consulting and incentive support for the introduction of a 4.5-day workweek will be newly initiated for small and medium-sized enterprises. Newly established business sites will receive incentives of 200,000 to 500,000 won per month, and those that increase employment will qualify for hiring incentives of 600,000 to 800,000 won. A new parental leave program allowing 10 a.m. starts (for 20,000 individuals) and additional work innovation consulting (for 200 sites) will also be supported.
The number of labor and industrial safety inspectors will increase by 2,000, and an artificial intelligence (AI)-based labor law consulting system will be established to enhance rights protection.
◇ Supplementing police personnel and increasing pistols and body cameras
Next year, the number of new police personnel responding to public safety crimes will increase from 4,800 this year to 6,400. The Korean National Police Agency will supply 7,746 low-risk pistols and 7,765 field vests along with expanding body cameras.
An AI-based investigative support system will also be introduced to monitor online homemade guns and detect drug distribution channels. Systems for location tracking to counter stalking, telecommunication verification for impersonating police, and voice phishing prevention centers will also be strengthened.
Support for crime victims will be enhanced. The disaster relief fund system will be revised to expand benefits for bereaved families and establish new emergency living stabilization payments. Psychological healing services at Smile Centers will operate during nights and weekends. The number of dedicated public defenders for criminal defendants will increase from 254 to 274, and the number of rehabilitation courts will expand to six.
The budget for disaster response will increase to 5.8 trillion won. The government will use AI and drones to enhance disaster prediction capabilities and invest 1.1 trillion won in improving disaster risk areas. Intelligent CCTV will be installed along all national rivers, and 210,000 fall prevention devices will be supported in areas prone to flooding.
Monitoring cameras for wildfires will be equipped at 120 locations, emergency firefighting equipment will be installed at 456 sites, and 500,000 fire detectors will be distributed. To prevent sinkholes, 300 billion won will be invested in upgrading aging sewage systems, and 19 new ground exploration devices will be introduced. Allowances for high-risk professions such as police and firefighting will increase from 70,000 won to 80,000 won.