The recent tragic news of a fatal accident at the E&C Sinansan Line construction site has shocked many. In particular, this accident starkly revealed the current state of ‘s safety management, once again highlighting the seriousness of recurring serious accidents within the group. In response, the POSCO Group Chairman attended an emergency meeting with the Minister of Employment and Labor and promised strong innovation to prevent recurrence. Public attention is focused on whether this time, it can go beyond a mere declaration and lead to actual changes on site.
Recurring Serious Accidents, the Reality of POSCO Group
On June 9, a subcontractor in his 30s died after falling 15 meters while installing cable trays at the Sinansan Line construction site in Gwanak-gu, Seoul. Furthermore, it was revealed that a total of four workers have died in four accidents at this site since 2024, adding to the shock. Since the enforcement of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act, 10 people have lost their lives at POSCO E&C sites and a staggering 18 across the entire POSCO Group. The Ministry of Employment and Labor immediately launched a compulsory investigation, including a search and seizure, in connection with this accident, and is also conducting a special inspection of POSCO E&C headquarters and sites nationwide. These recurring casualties raise fundamental questions about POSCO Group’s safety management system and amplify calls for corporate social responsibility.
Chairman Jang In-hwa’s Strong Promise of Safety Innovation
POSCO Group Chairman Jang In-hwa attended a safety management inspection and recurrence prevention measures meeting hosted by Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Young-hoon, stating that the company would mobilize all available resources for accident prevention. The main measures promised by Chairman Jang are as follows:
- Securing safety budget and significantly expanding related investments
- Regularization of safety professionals at all Sinansan Line construction sites and deployment of more personnel than legally required
- Intensive deployment of supervisors from the world’s best safety professional companies to sites for thorough management until construction is completed
- Acceptance of opinions from any internal or external experts to improve the safety management system
He expressed a strong will to restore public trust, saying, “We will ensure that the same accidents do not recur at any of the group’s business sites.” Attention is focused on how this promise will be implemented in actual sites.
The Core of Sustainable Management: Decarbonization and Safety
POSCO Group has recently been accelerating ESG management, such as the transition to decarbonization. In April, Chairman Jang In-hwa attended the World Steel Association’s regular meeting in Berlin, emphasizing the importance of the steel industry’s decarbonization transition and global cooperation for it. POSCO has also been honored as a ‘Sustainability Excellence Member’ for five consecutive years since 2022, proving its global ESG capabilities. However, no matter how grand the sustainability goals, their meaning can fade if safety at industrial sites is not guaranteed. Along with the decarbonization transition, safety management is the most basic prerequisite and a key task for POSCO to fulfill its social responsibility as a global leading company and gain public trust.
A Safe Workplace, the First Step to Restoring Trust
Many hope that Chairman Jang In-hwa’s promise of safety innovation will not remain a mere declaration but will lead to actual changes on site. Breaking the cycle of recurring serious accidents and creating a safe workplace where workers can work with peace of mind will be the first step for POSCO to move towards becoming a truly sustainable enterprise. It is time to watch the future of POSCO’s safety management.