The Ministry of Employment and Labor and police are conducting a search at the POSCO Gwangyang Steelworks and other locations related to a fatal accident that occurred when workers fell while dismantling pipes on the morning of the 24th.
According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor, about 30 inspectors from the Gwangju Regional Employment and Labor Office and police officers from the Jeollanam-do Police Agency have been conducting searches since around 9 a.m. at the POSCO Gwangyang Steelworks' field office and the headquarters and field offices of the dismantling company.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor plans to investigate whether related companies violated the Industrial Safety and Health Act and the Serious Accidents Punishment Act through this search. A ministry official noted, "We will closely examine the cause of the collapse of the targeted structures, whether safety regulations were observed in establishing safe demolition plans to prevent the risk of structural collapse, and the status of POSCO as a contractor."
Earlier, at around 3 p.m. on the 14th, there was an accident at the POSCO Gwangyang Steelworks where workers fell while dismantling pipes from a dust collector. Three workers who fell 20 meters were transported to a nearby hospital, but one did not survive. A dust collector is a system used to collect impurities such as dust generated from the process to improve air quality.
In response, President Lee Jae-myung mentioned this incident during a senior secretary meeting on the 17th, saying, "When I look at the content of industrial accidents, I sometimes think, 'Do such accidents still occur?' We must quickly and thoroughly investigate the cause of the accident and confirm whether there were any shortcomings in safety measures and hold those responsible accountable."