What did Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon ask officials to do about companies with repeated industrial accidents?

Kim told officials to treat businesses where the same kind of serious accident keeps happening with real urgency and keep those companies under particular scrutiny.

What action did Kim Young-hoon call for against employers who cut workplace safety spending?

Kim called for stern action against employers who cut safety spending to protect profits. He said business owners who continue to put cost-cutting ahead of safety even after a worker has died should be held heavily responsible.

Labor minister urges tougher action on industrial accidents

Q: When does South Korea’s Labor Inspector Act take effect, and what changes under it?

The Labor Inspector Act takes effect Dec. 8. Some of the Ministry of Employment and Labor’s inspection authorities will be delegated to local governments, and Kim said he would work closely with the ministry’s regional offices.

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Summary

Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon called on officials across South Korea to step up efforts to prevent industrial accidents and protect workers on Saturday. During an emergency teleconference with senior labor officials, he said companies should face heavy responsibility for serious accidents and repeated incidents. He urged particular scrutiny of businesses where similar accidents recur and stern action against employers who cut safety spending. Some ministry inspection authorities will be delegated to local governments under the Labor Inspector Act, which takes effect Dec. 8.

Key Facts

Kim said officials should keep companies with recurring similar serious accidents under particular scrutiny.
He called for stern action against employers who reduce safety spending to protect profits, including when a worker has died.
Kim said he would work closely with the ministry’s regional offices.
The Labor Inspector Act takes effect Dec. 8 and delegates some ministry inspection authorities to local governments.

By Yonhap

Published Nov 7, 2026 3:24 pm KST

Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon chairs an emergency teleconference with senior labor officials from across the country, Saturday. Courtesy of Ministry of Employment and Labor

Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon on Saturday called on officials to play a more active role in preventing industrial accidents and protecting workers.

The minister presided over an emergency teleconference with senior labor officials from across the country.

Emphasizing that safety at worksites cannot wait, he said companies should bear heavy responsibility when serious accidents occur.

"We must treat with real urgency any business where the same kind of serious accident keeps happening," he said, telling officials to keep such companies under particular scrutiny.

He also called for stern action against employers who cut safety spending to protect their profits.

"We must make it clear to business owners if they still put cost-cutting ahead of safety even when a worker has died, they will be held heavily responsible," he added.

Kim also vowed to work closely with the ministry's regional offices. Under the new Labor Inspector Act, which takes effect Dec. 8, some of the ministry's inspection authorities will be delegated to local governments.

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