This article was posted on the ChosunBiz RM Report site at 2:30 p.m. on March 4, 2025.
Last year, Hanwha Ocean emerged as the corporation that faced the most legal actions following a special labor inspection by the Ministry of Employment and Labor for violations of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act. Additionally, AriSell was identified as the corporation that incurred the highest fines. Each company experienced incidents resulting in 2 deaths and 31 injuries.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor revealed this information in data submitted on the 4th to Democratic Party lawmaker Kang Deuk-gu's office at the National Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee regarding the status of special inspections in the industrial safety and health sector for 2024.
The Ministry's special labor inspections target business sites where 2 or more fatalities occur due to a lack of safety and health measures or workplaces that have experienced 3 or more fatal accidents in the past year. Fines or legal actions are imposed on business sites where violations of laws such as the Industrial Safety and Health Act are detected. Legal actions include arrest, investigation, and prosecution.
◇ Last year, ‘Hanwha Ocean’ ranked first in legal actions related to industrial accidents, while ‘AriSell’ ranked first in fines.
According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor, a total of 16 corporations received special labor inspections in the industrial safety and health sector last year. Among them, Hanwha Ocean faced the highest number of legal actions, with 46 violations. In January of last year, an incident occurred at the Hanwha Ocean shipyard, resulting in the deaths of 2 employees from a partner company. First, on January 12, a worker in his 20s died from a gas explosion. Then, on January 24, another worker in his 30s drowned while diving to remove foreign substances from the hull. This employee was reportedly assigned to the diving work without the necessary diving certification. Hanwha Ocean was also fined 266.5 million won, ranking third based on the amount of fines.
Additionally, among the corporations that received special labor inspections in the industrial safety and health sector last year, AriSell was the one that incurred the highest fines, amounting to 1.79195 billion won. AriSell is a manufacturer of primary batteries located in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province. A fire caused by a lithium battery explosion at the company's factory on June 24 last year resulted in 23 fatalities, 18 of whom were migrant workers. The accident also resulted in 2 serious injuries and 6 minor injuries, totaling 31 casualties.
AriSell also ranked second in legal actions, following Hanwha Ocean, with 26 violations. The Ministry of Employment and Labor noted that it focused on violations of safety measures related to fire evacuation and the obligation to ensure safety and health by management.
◇ Among the top 5 companies facing legal actions, 3 are shipbuilders, and Korea Railroad Corporation (Korail) is the only public institution.
In terms of the number of legal actions last year, among the top 5 corporations, 3 are shipbuilders. After Hanwha Ocean, which had 46 cases (1st), Geumgang Heavy Industries had 21 cases (3rd), and Daesun Shipbuilding had 16 cases (5th). At Geumgang Heavy Industries, located in Goseong, Gyeongnam, a tragic incident occurred on May 9 last year when 2 workers were crushed to death by a toppled ship structure. Additionally, on May 13, 2 workers died in an explosion accident while welding at Daesun Shipbuilding's Daedeok factory in Busan.
Korea Railroad Corporation (Korail) was the only public institution to receive a special labor inspection from the Ministry of Employment and Labor in September of last year. As a result, there were 19 legal actions (4th place). Korail was also fined 391.4 million won, ranking second based on the amount of fines. The special labor inspection was prompted by an incident on August 9 last year, when 2 workers in their 30s died while working on the overhead wire at Guro Station on Seoul Subway Line 1. The two workers were working on a 5-meter-high platform (basket) to repair the overhead wire when they were struck by a train conducting track inspection coming from the opposite direction.
Daewoo E&C was recorded as the 4th highest in fines (87.02 million won). The top three were AriSell, Korail, and Hanwha Ocean. Daewoo E&C was subject to a special labor inspection due to an incident last June at a construction site for a dam safety enhancement project in Cheongdo-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do, where 2 underwater workers died simultaneously.
◇ Hyundai Motor also received a special labor inspection... the results are still unconfirmed.
Hyundai Motor received a special labor inspection last year, but the results are still unconfirmed. In December, 3 researchers died simultaneously while conducting vehicle performance tests at the Hyundai Motor factory in Ulsan. Consequently, special labor inspections were conducted at the headquarters in Yangjae-dong, Seoul, the Namyang Research Institute in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, and the Ulsan factory.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor stated regarding Hyundai Motor in the data submitted to Democratic Party lawmaker Kang Deuk-gu's office at the National Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee that they are "still sorting out the results." A Ministry official noted, "It is a matter that requires the Minister's approval, but it has not yet been approved."