Yoon Mi-hyang, POSCO chairman who presented a back pain diagnosis, “Is it a worker’s deadly death?”

◆ Businessmen called to the National Assembly ◆

The Environmental and Labor Committee of the National Assembly held an’industrial accident hearing’ during the extraordinary National Assembly and attended a large number of corporate CEOs. The intention is to ask companies in the construction, logistics, and manufacturing industries with a large number of industrial accidents about the causes of industrial accidents and disaster prevention measures, but some point out that the National Assembly directly called the company’s representatives to embark on a’face-to-face cycle’. In fact, the hearing on that day was evaluated that only the criticism of the lawmakers and the apology of the corporate CEOs were repeated rather than a policy discussion to prevent industrial accidents or a reference discussion on cases in developed countries. On the 22nd, at the’Industrial Accident Hearing’, a manager of a company that has frequently experienced industrial accidents over the past two years was present as a witness. In the construction sector, Woo Moo-hyun, CEO of GS E&C, Han Sung-hee, CEO of POSCO E&C, Lee Won-woo, CEO of Hyundai E&C, in the logistics sector, Shin Young-soo, CEO of CJ Logistics’ parcel service, Park Chan-bok, CEO of Lotte Global Logistics, Notman Joseph Nathan, CEO of Coupang Full Filament Service, and Choi Jeong-woo in manufacturing Nine people attended, including the chairman, Jung Ho-young, CEO of LG Display, and Han Young-seok, CEO of Hyundai Heavy Industries.

It is evaluated that it is unusual for about 10 heads of domestic business management to attend the hearing at one time. In particular, the day before, Chairman Choi inquired about the possibility of attending Hwannowi for back pain, but was not acknowledged and attended as scheduled on the day.

As Chairman Choi was the only one of the nine corporate management managers to submit a statement of reasons for non-show, the hearing committee members focused their offensive on Chairman Choi. According to data received from the Ministry of Employment and Labor by Yoon Joon-byeong, a member of the Democratic Party, a total of six people died from industrial accidents in POSCO for four years from 2016.

In response, Democratic Party member Yoon Mi-hyang said, “What do you think is the biggest cause of POSCO’s industrial accidents?”

Even in the opposition offensive, there was no’watch’. Rep. Lim Ija, a secretary to the opposition party of Hwannowi, said to Chairman Choi, “It was absurd to see that he not attended the hearing with a certificate of back sprain and tension.” Pointed out. When Rep. Lim asked, “Apologize to the bereaved families and workers who died from industrial accidents,” Chairman Choi replied, “I think my thoughts were short,” and Rep. Lim exclaimed, “It’s not a short thought, that’s the character of the chairman.” Rep. Kim Woong of the same party also criticized Chairman Choi’s deputy attendance query, saying, “It is uncomfortable to have a pain in the back, but how painful and painful it would be if I died by being pressed by a roller.” As the criticism continued, Chairman Choi said, “I am sorry for causing concern to the people in the subsequent accident,” and bowed his back near 90 degrees to apologize.

At the hearing hall on that day, Democratic Party lawmaker Roh Woong-rae started a cycle of face-to-face meetings with Chairman Choi with’fake news’ based on the national anti-Japanese sentiment. Rep. Roh posed a question unrelated to industrial accidents, saying, “This is (Chairman Choi) went to a shrine in Tokyo in October (2018)? Is it okay to do this?” Regarding this, a POSCO official explained, “The temple that Chairman Choi visited at the time was a general temple different from a shrine with a war criminal morale,” and explained that “a tourist destination included in a travel agency package such as Hana Tour.”

Other managers also repeatedly apologized and expressed regret for subsequent reprimands. President Nathan bowed his head again and again to the late Jang Deok-jun and his family, who died while working at the Coupang Distribution Center in Chilgok, Gyeongsangbuk-do, “I offer a really deep apology and deep consolation.” However, about the fact that Jang took more than four months to receive an industrial accident judgment, Mr. Nathan said, “There was a difficulty in determining the cause of the accident,” and “it was necessary to wait for a medical expert decision.” Finally, a voice came out urging Choi to resign. Democratic Party lawmaker Roh Woong-rae said to Chairman Choi, “I haven’t met a bereaved family or visited condolences. The public’s apology is alive,” and said, “Would you write a two-week medical certificate to avoid the hearing? Shouldn’t you quit (president) if your health is bad?” Raised his voice. Democratic Party lawmaker Lim Jong-seong also questioned, “Do you have any intention to resign?”

Meanwhile, CEO Han Young-seok received protests from hearing committee members while making a remark that seemed to attribute the cause of the industrial accident to workers. To an inquiry from independent lawmaker Park Deok-heum, a representative answered, “Seeing the type of accident, it happened well by the behavior of the worker,” and “I induce work by standard work, but there are still many workers who have unsafe behavior.” When criticism from the lawmakers poured out, CEO Han said, “It is not easy to manage safety because workers often do non-standard work, so workers often act in an unsafe’state’,” he said. “I apologize for causing misunderstandings. “I explained.

The opinion that the political circles should ask about the causes of industrial accidents and seek preventive measures during the hearing on this day was mixed with the opinion that it was excessively dismissed. Rep. Lim said, “It is not to call a company a sinner,” he said. “Industrial accidents are an irrecoverable accident, and it is essential to ensure that there are no unjust deaths.” On the other hand, a business official responded, “It is a pity that this hearing is not a constructive discussion, but a place to give a face to companies by retrieving past disaster cases.”

[박제완 기자 / 최예빈 기자]
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