President Lee Jae-myung has announced severe punishment for construction companies involved in fatal accidents and serious industrial disasters, creating tension in the construction industry. Construction companies are launching checks on existing safety systems and expanding the application of safety rules to prevent accidents that may occur at construction sites.
According to the construction industry on the 31st, construction companies began inspecting internal safety standards and operational practices after President Lee criticized POSCO E&C for a fatal accident.
Earlier, on the 29th, President Lee criticized POSCO E&C, where four fatal accidents have occurred in the construction sector this year, during a Cabinet meeting. He noted, "I wonder if there's no sense of the fact that a person dies while working for a business, and I have to consider whether life is not valued as a life but rather regarded as a tool for work," and directed that punitive damages should be considered for businesses with serious industrial accidents.
Following President Lee's remarks, the government and the National Assembly are increasing pressure regarding safety. The Democratic Party of Korea's Industrial Accident Prevention Task Force is set to visit the business site of POSCO E&C in Uiryeong, Gyeongsangnam-do, where the fatal accident occurred. Legislation to strengthen penalties for serious industrial accidents is also being proposed, including a revision of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act that mandates the public announcement of disaster occurrences and a new Industrial Safety and Health Act obligating CEOs to verify and address key issues related to workplace safety and health.
In response to the tightening of penalties, construction companies are reviewing existing safety systems and applying practical measures at construction sites. Samsung C&T's construction division plans to meticulously review the policy promotion plans of relevant ministries, including the Ministry of Employment and Labor, after inspecting construction sites. They will reaffirm the existing safety and health systems and establish a concrete action plan for future implementation.
Hyundai E&C has strengthened field checks to ensure that the existing smart construction safety systems and manuals, including the 'disaster prediction artificial intelligence (AI) system,' and responses to accidents are functioning properly. DL E&C has also conducted its own inspections by construction site and provided training for disseminating accident case studies. Notably, DL E&C has attached body cameras to supervisors at construction sites nationwide to continuously record conditions and prepare for potential safety incidents.
HDC Hyundai Development Company is fully committed to protecting workers' health and creating a safe working environment through regular safety checks by management. GS Engineering and Construction has launched initiatives to enhance actual safety and quality through on-site inspection support activities and user-centered digital transformation (DX). Lotte Engineering & Construction is strengthening its existing safety management system by establishing a safety situation center that uses AI to monitor all construction site CCTV and conducting safety relay campaigns.
SK ecoplant held an emergency safety inspection meeting led by the chief safety officer (CSO) the previous day, emphasizing strengthened safety awareness and the operation of management systems. In particular, the company has actively reviewed and instructed to take preliminary measures for practical support to enhance site safety.
There are also movements at the association level. The Korea Construction Industry Council (Construction Federation) plans to hold an emergency meeting on the 4th of next month to discuss measures for eliminating serious industrial accidents and ensuring safety at construction sites.