South Korean workplaces receiving safety subsidies see rise in fatalities

Fatalities at workplaces receiving government financial support for industrial accident prevention have increased significantly. According to data from the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency provided to lawmaker Eo Gi-gu, fatal accidents at supported sites rose from 25 in 2023 to 43 in 2025.

Accidental injuries also saw a sharp rise, increasing from 2,255 cases in 2023 to 5,013 cases in 2025. These support programs, which include subsidies and low-interest loans for safety equipment, are intended to help small-scale construction sites and manufacturing businesses improve safety standards.

In addition to rising accident rates, there have been issues with the management of supported equipment. Over the past three years, 1,015 cases were identified where equipment was not used, lost, damaged, or sold inappropriately. Approximately 2.26 billion won has been recovered from 158 of these cases. Lawmaker Eo emphasized the need for a stronger performance management system that evaluates actual risk reduction and accident rate improvements rather than just the amount of funding provided.