A construction company work site. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s government is preparing to introduce a special law aimed at tightening safety rules at construction sites and imposing harsher penalties for fatal accidents, the country’s land minister said Friday, as the sector continues to grapple with a steady rise in deadly workplace incidents.
Land Minister Kim Yun-duk outlined the plan during a policy briefing to President Lee Jae Myung in the administrative city of Sejong. Construction-related deaths, he noted, now account for roughly 40 percent of all workplace fatalities nationwide — a proportion that has persisted despite years of calls for reform.
The proposed legislation would more clearly delineate safety responsibilities across work sites and give regulators expanded authority to impose punitive measures when oversight failures lead to loss of life.
President Lee, who took office in June, has repeatedly pressed for stronger protections for workers after a string of high-profile accidents at sites run by major construction firms.
The latest incident occurred Thursday in the southwestern city of Gwangju, where a steel structure collapsed at a library construction site, killing two workers and leaving two others missing.
Kim said the administration also plans to expand safety initiatives beyond construction, including improvements to airport facilities and the deployment of additional air traffic controllers to reinforce aviation safety.
On the housing front, the minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to deliver 1.1 million public housing units — a major campaign pledge — and said more detailed measures would be announced in the first half of next year.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
