Industrial Accident Deaths Down 20%... but Fire and Explosion Fatalities Up 46%, Manufacturing Deaths Up 11%

Fatal Accidents Subject to Investigation in Q3
Industrial Accident Deaths Hit Record Low at 366 Since Statistics Began
Deaths at Medium and Large Manufacturing Businesses Rise from 55 to 72

The number of workers who died in industrial accidents through the third quarter of this year hit its lowest level since related statistics were first compiled. However, deaths increased in manufacturing, where a series of major fires and explosions occurred. In particular, fatalities rose at large workplaces with 50 or more employees, which have safety management systems in place, and among foreign workers.

According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor's report, "Fatal Accidents Subject to Accident Investigation, Third Quarter of 2026 (Cumulative)," released on October 20, 366 workers died in industrial accidents in the first nine months of this year, across 342 incidents. This was down by 91 deaths, or 19.9%, from the same period last year, when 457 people died in 440 incidents, marking the lowest figure since the statistics were first compiled in 2022.

The overall decline in fatalities was driven by the construction and other industries. There were 150 deaths in construction, down by 60, or 28.6%, from the same period last year. The number of deaths in other industries, including services, fell by 44, or 34.4%. Some have suggested that the contraction in construction activity, amid a slump in the real estate market and rising raw material prices, may have played a role. The government, however, says the decline in fatalities is difficult to explain solely by fluctuations in the construction industry and believes that policy measures have had an effect.

Firefighters inspect the scene after extinguishing a fire at a metal parts painting factory in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, on the 16th. Seven people, including five firefighters and two factory employees, were injured. Yonhap News Agency

Fatalities at manufacturing sites, where production activity has remained steady, have started to rise again. The cumulative number of manufacturing deaths through the third quarter this year was 132, up 13, or 10.9%, from 119 in the same period last year. At manufacturing businesses with 50 or more employees, fatalities jumped 30.9%, from 55 to 72. In other words, deaths have risen at medium- and large-sized factories that have been subject to intensive oversight since the Serious Accidents Punishment Act took effect.

By accident type, deaths from fires and explosions surged 46.2% to 38, from 26 a year earlier. Fatalities from being crushed or overturned (41, up 36.7%) and caught-in or between accidents (40, up 8.1%) also increased. The rise followed a series of major accidents with multiple casualties, including a fire at an auto parts factory in March that killed 14 people, an explosion at a defense company in June that killed five, and a fire at an animal fat processing plant in August that killed three. Although the total number of manufacturing accidents fell by two from a year earlier to 113, the double-digit increase in fatalities shows that the toll per accident was high.

By contrast, deaths from falls, the most common fatal accident type in industrial workplaces, fell by 75, or 37.7%, from the same period last year to 124. Fatalities also declined in other major accident categories, including being struck by objects (35, down 37.5%), collisions (39, down 13.3%), and suffocation or poisoning (10, down 37.5%).

The increase in casualties among foreign workers was also notable. In the third quarter, 48 foreign workers died in workplace accidents, accounting for 13.1% of all fatalities. In manufacturing in particular, deaths among foreign workers rose 33.3% to 24, from 18 a year earlier. Analysts say that language barriers and difficulties adapting to the workplace are undermining safety management as foreign workers make up a growing share of the workforce in high-risk processes.

A charred hazardous materials storage tank is seen after a fire was extinguished at a chemical products manufacturer in Haknam-ri, Onsan-eup, Ulju-gun, Ulsan, on the 14th. The tanks across from it were not damaged by the fire. Yonhap News.

The government plans to strengthen oversight of workplaces with relevant risks and expand inspections with the ministries concerned to prevent fires and explosions. It will conduct intensive inspections of related risk factors in November. Ryu Hyun-cheol, head of the Ministry of Employment and Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Headquarters, said, "Since announcing the comprehensive labor safety measures, we have pursued follow-up actions, including the government's on-site efforts, companies' occupational safety and health activities, and collaboration between local governments and private accident prevention agencies. There is still much to do to make the decline of 91 in the number of workers killed in accidents a structural and irreversible change, rather than a temporary trend."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.