The number of deaths from industrial accidents in the first quarter this year was tallied at 113. This is the lowest number of accident deaths for a first quarter since related statistics began in 2022.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) on the 14th released the status of fatal accidents subject to investigation in the first quarter of 2026. The tally covers industrial accident deaths that occur because employers fail to fulfill safety and health obligations, and excludes deaths at business sites where there is no clear violation of the law by the employer.

According to the ministry, first-quarter accident deaths stood at 113 (98 cases), down 24 people (17.5%) and 31 cases (24%) from a year earlier (137 people, 129 cases).

Investigators from the police, fire authorities, the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL), and the National Forensic Service conduct a joint inspection on March 23 in connection with the fire at Daejeon Safety Industry that results in 74 casualties. /Courtesy of News1

By industry, construction and other sectors fell 45.1% and 40.5%, respectively, showing a marked decline. They recorded 39 and 22 deaths, respectively. An official at the ministry said, "The construction slump may have played a role, but focused inspections and oversight centered on construction, where accidents had been frequent, also had an effect."

However, manufacturing saw 52 deaths, up 79.3% (23 people) from a year earlier. This reflects the impact of the major fire at an auto parts plant in Daejeon on the 20th of last month that killed 14 people.

Deaths at small business sites with fewer than 50 employees (construction sites under 5 billion won) also fell sharply. The figure was 59, down 28.9% from a year earlier. At even smaller business sites with fewer than five employees (under 500 million won), the number of deaths was 28, down 34.9%. At large business sites with 50 or more employees (5 billion won or more), the number of deaths was unchanged at 54.

By type of accident, falls, struck by objects, and collapses decreased 50%, 18.8%, and 27.3%, respectively. However, deaths from fires and explosions (20 people) doubled from a year earlier.

Earlier, the Lee Jae-myung administration declared a "war on industrial accidents" and has worked to reduce them. Citing the recent "Daejeon fire accident," the government has begun a full-scale investigation of 100,000 high-risk business sites and plans to continue industrial safety inspections and oversight.

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