Worker killed in POSCO steel mill accident

National 18:33 January 20, 2022

SEOUL, Jan. 20 (Yonhap) -- A worker died at a plant of South Korea's top steelmaker POSCO on Thursday after being hit by a coal-moving vehicle, police said.

The 38-year-old worker, affiliated with a service provider for the company, was run over by a vehicle charging coal at a POSCO steel mill in the southeastern city of Pohang at around 9:47 a.m. while on duty.

He was sent to a nearby hospital, but pronounced dead, according to the Pohang Nambu Police Station and the company.

"I offer my deepest apologies to the victim and the bereaved family," POSCO CEO Choi Jeong-woo said in a statement.

The company is trying to establish the exact cause of the accident, and will fully cooperate with the authorities for investigation, Choi said, vowing utmost efforts for follow-up measures to prevent any similar incidents.

POSCO has come under criticism over a series of deadly workplace accidents. Over the past three years, a total of eight workers have been killed on duty, including Thursday's case.

Last year, the government conducted a special inspection into the steelmaker, and imposed a fine of around 440 million won (US$369,592) for 225 legal violations.

Starting next week, a new industrial accident punishment law will go info effect, under which owners and CEOs of companies with five or more employees can face a minimum one-year prison sentence or up to a fine of 1 billion won in the event of serious workplace accidents.