The Ministry of Employment and Labor plans to investigate whether the local government affiliated with the four individuals who died while battling a wildfire in Sancheong County, Gyeongnam, violated the Serious Accidents Punishment Act. However, the ministry stated that since the wildfire is not completely extinguished, it will conduct investigations into Gyeongnam Province and Changnyeong County after the fire is contained.
A Ministry of Employment and Labor official noted on the 25th that the incident involving the deaths of firefighters and public officials in Sancheong on the 21st is subject to the Serious Accidents Punishment Act.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor plans to investigate whether the Serious Accidents Punishment Act was violated in relation to this incident, targeting Changnyeong County and Gyeongnam Province. Serious accidents are categorized into major industrial accidents and major civilian accidents based on the victims. If the victim is a worker, it is classified as an industrial accident, whereas it is classified as a civilian accident in the case of ordinary citizens. A Ministry official stated, "All those who died while battling the wildfire were public officials affiliated with the local government, but since they are workers subject to the Labor Standards Act, the ministry plans to apply the classification of industrial accidents."
Earlier, on the 21st, three firefighters in their 60s and one supervising public official affiliated with Changnyeong County were deployed to extinguish a fire that broke out in the hillside of Sichun-myeon, Sancheong County, Gyeongnam, and died in the process. Gyeongnam Province commanded their firefighting operations.
However, the Ministry of Employment and Labor plans to conduct investigations into the local government after the firefighting continues, as the wildfire remains in progress. As of 5 a.m. on that day, the firefighting rate for the Sancheong fire in Gyeongnam is 88%.