Latest news with #SeriousAccidentsPunishmentAct
Korea Herald
19-05-2025
- Korea Herald
Another worker dies at SPC factory in conveyor belt accident
A worker in her 50s died early Monday after becoming trapped on a moving conveyor belt at SPC Samlip's bread factory in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province, police said. According to the Siheung Police Station, the incident occurred at around 3 a.m. while the victim was applying lubricant to the conveyor belt of a bread production machine. Authorities are reviewing surveillance footage and interviewing factory personnel to determine the cause of the accident. They are also investigating whether the factory violated safety regulations. If negligence is confirmed, relevant officials could face charges of professional negligence resulting in death. The incident marks yet another workplace accident at SPC-affiliated companies, which have faced public criticism and consumer boycotts in recent years over recurring worker injuries and fatalities. In October 2022, a worker in her 20s died after being pulled into a sauce mixer at SPC's affiliate SPL bread factory in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. In November 2023, a steel conveyor fell on a worker's head at a logistics warehouse at the same factory. The worker, who was in their 20s, was wearing a safety helmet and avoided serious injury. In August 2023, a woman in her 50s died after becoming trapped in a dough-brake machine. And in January of this year, a worker in their 50s had three fingers severed after their hand became caught in a rice processing machine at an SPC Shany factory in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. Following the 2022 Pyeongtaek incident, four officials, including then SPC CEO Kang Dong-suk, were indicted on charges of violating the Serious Accidents Punishment Act and professional negligence resulting in death. In a trial held in January this year, Kang was sentenced to one year in prison, suspended for two years. Three other officials received sentences of four to six months, also suspended for two years. The company was fined 100 million won ($71,000).
Korea Herald
19-05-2025
- Korea Herald
Another SPC worker dies in fatal bread factory accident
A worker died Monday in a fatal accident at a bread factory affiliated with bakery giant SPC Group, police said. The accident occurred at SPC's factory in Siheung, 35 kilometers southwest of Seoul, at around 3 a.m., when the worker, known only as a woman in her 50s, reportedly had her upper body caught in the conveyor belt during lubrication work. When rescuers arrived at the scene, she was lying on the floor after being separated from the machine, with her head damaged. She was responsible for spraying lubricant to ensure the conveyor belt runs smoothly during the process of cooling hot bread. Police are investigating the exact cause of the accident and will consider booking factory officials on charges of occupational negligence resulting in death if any violation of safety rules is found. The labor ministry will also investigate whether the Industrial Safety and Health Act and Serious Accidents Punishment Act were violated at the factory. SPC's factories have been beleaguered by various workplace accidents in recent years. In October 2022, a 23-year old employee was killed after her upper body was caught in a sauce mixer at the group's factory in Pyeongtaek, 65 kilometers south of Seoul. In August 2023, a 50-something worker died after being trapped in a dough machine at a Seongnam factory of Shani Co., an affiliate of SPC. (Yonhap)
Korea Herald
16-04-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
15 company chiefs convicted since 2022 enforcement of Serious Accidents Punishment Act
Fifteen business executive chiefs in South Korea have been handed guilty verdicts under the Serious Accidents Punishment Act since the law's enforcement began in January 2022, the Ministry of Employment and Labor said Wednesday. Between January 2022 when the law came into effect and 2024 year-end, a total of 15 cases were finalized and reported to the ministry. Fourteen of the cases sentenced the company chiefs a suspended prison sentence of one to three years, with just one receiving a one-year prison sentence. The 15 companies were also each assessed penalties of between 20 million and 100 million won ($14,000-$70,000). The Serious Accidents Punishment Act, enacted to hold employers accountable for major workplace accidents, mandates punishment for company heads for serious industrial incidents under their watch. Applicable accidents include those involving at least one fatality, two or more workers suffering injuries requiring at least six months of treatment caused by the same accident or three or more cases of occupational illness caused by the same hazardous factor within a year. If a serious industrial accident occurs and the employer is found to have failed in fulfilling safety obligations, the law prescribes a minimum of one year in prison or a fine of up to 1 billion won. Meanwhile, the ministry on Wednesday also publicly disclosed the names and details of seven workplaces found guilty of violating the law in the latter half of last year, including SY Panel. Under the law, authorities can disclose the company's name and the location, time and cause of the accident, as well as the history of the company's major accidents in the past five years once the conviction is finalized and announced. The seven companies were involved in fatal accidents, such as workers falling from scaffolding or being crushed to death during industrial robot inspections. One case involved multiple workers suffering acute chemical poisoning while handling hazardous materials. All seven executives received suspended prison terms. Deputy Labor Minister Kim Min-seok said the public disclosure is intended to reinforce social consequences of violating the law and to promote a culture of prioritizing worker safety. 'We hope this announcement strengthens awareness that violating the Serious Accidents Punishment Act leads to public disgrace and spreads a culture that sets value on the safety and life of workers,' Kim clarified. 'The government remains committed to reducing serious workplace accidents, especially through targeted oversight of high-risk sites and support for small businesses.'
Korea Herald
14-04-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
High-tech fund for chip industry, bank services in rural areas
The Korea Herald republishes a weekly legislative report by local law firm DR & AJU LLC to provide the latest information on bills approved, proposed, pending and set to be promulgated. — Ed. Proposed Bill: Partial Amendment to the Serious Accidents Punishment Act Proposed by Rep. Ku Ja-keun (People Power Party) ● This amendment seeks to address ambiguities in the current law to reduce confusion in the field, while easing criminal liability for managing officers and corporations in cases of serious accidents. Proposed Bill: Partial Amendment to the Korea Development Bank Act Proposed by Rep. Kang Min-kuk (People Power Party) and Rep. Kang Jun-hyeon (Democratic Party of Korea) ● This amendment strengthens support for semiconductors and other high-tech strategic industries by establishing the High-tech Strategic Industry Fund, with a planned scale of 50 trillion won ($35 billion). Pending Bill: Partial Amendment to the Banking Act Proposed by Rep. Choi Eun-seok (People Power Party) ● To improve access to financial services in rural areas and enhance user convenience, this amendment permits nonfinancial institutions, such as post offices, to offer bank agency services. Competent Authority: Ministry of Science and ICT ● This bill requires persons who install and operate unstaffed kiosks to take measures to enhance accessibility for vulnerable groups, such as assigning employees to assist with kiosk use or providing real-time voice guidance services. ● This amendment increases the maximum fine for the divulgence of national core technology to foreign countries from 1.5 billion to 6.5 billion won.
