The Ministry of Employment and Labor and the police are conducting searches of the headquarters and field offices of Korea Western Power and KEPCO KPS on the 16th in connection with the worker's death incident that occurred at the 'Taean Thermal Power Plant.'
The local office of the Ministry of Employment and Labor in Cheonan and the Chungnam Provincial Police Agency deployed about 80 personnel, including 43 labor inspectors responsible for the serious industrial accident investigation and 37 police officers, to carry out the searches starting at 10 a.m.
The investigation authorities plan to focus on securing evidence to determine whether there were instructions from Korea Western Power and KEPCO KPS regarding the deceased worker, Mr. Kim Chung-hyun, and whether safety devices were installed to prevent 'entrapment,' to clarify compliance with safety and health obligations.
The police and the Ministry of Employment and Labor are investigating officials from Korea Western Power and KEPCO KPS on charges of professional negligence leading to death, violations of the Industrial Safety and Health Act, and violations of the Serious Accidents Penal Act in connection with Mr. Kim's incident.
A spokesperson from the Ministry of Employment and Labor noted, 'We will mobilize all available resources, including searches, to conduct a thorough and swift investigation, and we plan to take strict action if any legal violations are confirmed.'
Meanwhile, the National Forensic Service revealed on the 13th that the cause of death for Mr. Kim was due to 'multiple fractures of the head, arms, and ribs.'