The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Minister Kim Yun-duk on the morning of the 19th held a roundtable at the National Land Development Exhibition Hall in Jung-gu, Seoul, on construction safety, including the right to stop work, and asked participants to work to ensure safety at construction sites.
The roundtable was organized to encourage construction companies that have pursued voluntary safety management policies to secure safety at construction sites, such as encouraging workers to exercise the right to stop work, while also listening to opinions from industries related to the construction sector. The right to stop work is a worker's right to halt work and evacuate when there is an imminent danger that could cause an industrial accident.
The event featured the sharing of best practices by major construction companies to secure on-site safety, followed by an open discussion on proposals to improve systems related to safety.
Minister Kim said, "Safe construction sites are the growth of a sustainable construction industry," adding, "If last year was a year of shifting perceptions about construction safety, this year must be a year to build outcomes that the government, the industry, and on-site workers can clearly feel," emphasizing safety at construction sites.
Kim added, "Meaningful change is beginning at construction sites recently," and "Since the launch of the popular sovereignty government, I extend my deep gratitude to the construction companies that have made life respect their top value and continued their self-help efforts."
After the discussion, a plaque of appreciation was presented to four exemplary construction companies (Samsung C&T, Hyundai Engineering & Construction, DL E&C, GS Engineering & Construction) that actively encouraged workers to exercise the right to stop work.
Minister Kim said, "The right to stop work is a very effective system that allows workers themselves to prevent the risk of accidents in advance and create a safe environment," and "I sincerely thank the construction companies that have continued self-help efforts, such as worker incentive programs, to activate the exercise of the right to stop work."