이 기사는 2022년 04월 05일 08시06분 thebell에 표출된 기사입니다

A Hyundai Motor worker died during an accident at the South Korean automaker’s plant in Jeonju on March 31, prompting an investigation into what caused the accident and whether there was any violation of the country’s severe disaster law by the company.

The worker, who was in his 40s, was severely injured after a truck cab fell on his head while he was examining the engine, the company said. He was taken to a hospital but died a short time later.

The labor ministry quickly ordered the plant to suspend operations and opened an investigation into what caused the accident and whether the company violated the Severe Disasters Punishment Act. Hyundai Motor, which employs more than 50 regular workers, is subject to the law.

The accident came after about two months after the new workplace safety law went into effect in the country on January 27. The law requires companies to set safety and health rules in place, and imposes criminal penalties of at least one year of imprisonment or up to 1 billion won (approximately $821,152) in fine, on a company’s owner or chief executive who violates the rules.

Hyundai Motor has been strict about workplace accidents. When a worker of one of its subcontractors died at an accident at its Ulsan plant in 2021, Hyundai Motor Group chairman Chung Eui-sun vowed to do whatever it takes to prevent workplace accidents and maintain a safe work environment.

In a continued effort to prevent safety accidents, Hyundai Motor named Lee Dong-seok, head of production for the domestic market, as its inaugural chief safety officer earlier this year. Then, an organizational restructuring followed to assemble all safety teams scattered across the company’s workplaces under his control. The company also hired additional staff and allocated a greater budget to enhance its safety organization.

Lee joined Hyundai Motor’s board of directors at an annual general meeting in March and also became a co-chief executive of the company – alongside existing co-chief executives chairman Chung and Chang Jae-hoon who leads Hyundai Motor’s domestic sales business – underscoring the automaker’s commitment to safety management.

A key question of the investigation will be whether the company duly fulfilled its duties to prevent violation of health and safety rules because in that case, its chief executive could be exempt from punishment under the law.

Hyundai Motor changed its articles of incorporation in March last year to require chief executive to set health and safety plans each year for the board’s approval. The sustainable management committee within the board in October evaluated such plans submitted by the company’s management.

“We are sorry about the accident and will actively cooperate with officials in investigating the accident,” a Hyundai Motor representative said. (Reporting by Su-jin Yoo)