Korean CEO Indicted for Worker Death, Evidence Tampering Under Safety Act

The Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) in South Korea has announced the indictment of the CEO of an underwater construction company, identified only as "Mr. G," on charges related to a fatal workplace accident and alleged evidence destruction. This marks the sixth arrest under the nation’s stringent Serious Accidents Punishment Act (SAPA) since its enactment.

The charges stem from a diving accident that occurred on December 30, 2024, at a shipbuilding facility in Ulsan, resulting in the death of a worker. Investigations by MOEL’s Ulsan branch revealed that the incident was caused by critical safety oversights, including the failure to provide an emergency air tank to the diver. Authorities conducted a thorough review of CCTV footage and intensive interviews with company personnel to establish the sequence of events and identify the negligence.

Mr. G was arrested by MOEL on March 9, 2026, and his case was forwarded to prosecutors on March 17, 2026. Prosecutors formally indicted and detained him on April 3, 2026. The MOEL stated that the arrest warrant was sought due to compelling evidence of Mr. G’s criminal liability, a significant risk of evidence tampering—such as the submission of false data—and the severe nature of the case, which involved a worker’s death due to neglected safety protocols.

The Serious Accidents Punishment Act (SAPA), which came into effect in January 2022, is designed to hold business owners and management personally accountable for severe industrial accidents or public incidents resulting from insufficient safety measures. It imposes strict criminal penalties, including imprisonment and substantial fines, on those found responsible. The MOEL has reiterated its commitment to using proactive investigative measures, including search, seizure, and arrest, for serious accident cases, particularly when basic safety regulations are repeatedly ignored, leading to recurrent incidents of a similar nature.

Source: 고용노동부 — Original Article (Korean)