Keeping the pain of occupational accident’s victim and their family in mind and working at field to prevent occupational accidents and diseases

Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA) was established to contribute to national economic development by keeping workers safe and making employers endeavor to prevent industrial accidents and diseases.

For this, KOSHA conducts industrial accident prevention projects efficiently including R&D on industrial accident prevention techniques and distribution, and providing technical guidance and training on occupational safety and health.

KOSHA is not only an organization standing at a front line to protect workers’ lives but also the only public organization for industrial accident prevention in Korea.

We know that the responsibilities the country and our people have given us are enormous. Over the past few years, our society has been deeply aware of how difficult it is to lower occupational fatalities to the level of advanced countries in prevention of industrial accidents and diseases.

In this respect, we have finally agreed to gradually reduce industrial accidents through a legal system called “Serious Accident Punishment Act.” We are living in an era where if a worker is not safe this may cause insecurity of his/her employer as well as families.

I, however, do not believe that this alone can fully protect the lives of workers.

We will be able to step into the level of advanced countries in industrial accidents and diseases prevention only when all the people have an interest in preventing the accidents and diseases and the attitudes of companies toward safety and health issues change to a complete transformation.

The right to life and safety, the highest value for all human beings must be protected regardless of gender, age, richness, occupation or nationality. Workers are driving force of production that holds up the existence and future of the nation. Without workers’ safety, there is no work and production. In particular, I will put more attention to the groups such as daily laborers, migrant workers, and SMEs who are vulnerable to industrial accidents.

All employees of KOSHA will be united to save the life of each and every one of workers. We will do our utmost to make Korea an advanced country in industrial accident prevention. To this end, we will establish a tight network and communicate smoothly with related government departments, national assembly, press, civil society, labor organization, and occupational safety and health experts.

I will keep the pain of occupational accident’s victim and their family in mind and work at field to prevent occupational accidents and diseases.

Thank you.