By Kim Tae-jong
Staff Reporter
The World Congress on Safety and Health at Work will kick off a four-day event in Seoul, Sunday.
The world's largest international event in occupational safety and health aims to contribute to the prevention of occupational accidents and the protection of workers' health.
Over 4,000 industry leaders, policy-makers and experts are expected to participate in the event to exchange information and knowledge and share experiences of new technologies related to work safety, the prevention of occupational diseases and safety and health cooperative projects.
The 18th annual event is co-organized by International Labour Organization (ILO), International Social Security Association (ISSA) and Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA). The Ministry of Labor of South Korea is sponsoring the event.
According to ILO, 2.2 million people die annually from work-related accidents and diseases, with work-related deaths appearing to be on the rise.
The event, to be held at the COEX Convention Center in southern Seoul, will deal with four main topics ― Strategies and Programs of Safety and Health for the Future; Impact of Changing Working Conditions on Workers' Protection; New Challenges and Opportunities in Occupational Safety and Health; and Safety and Health Management Systems.
The congress will also host a high-level summit involving 50 decision-makers from around the world, including government ministers, CEOs of leading multinational companies, senior health and safety and social security experts, and representatives of employers and workers.
Participants include the president of ISSA Corazon de la Paz, prime minister Han Seung-soo, Labor Minister Lee Young-hee, and the president of KOSHA Noh Min-ki.
The summit is expected to adopt an unprecedented Declaration on Health and Safety at Work, which will provide a new global reference point for addressing occupational safety and health issues around the world.
For more information, visit www.safety2008korea.org.