Kim Dong-yeon: "Will Establish Concrete Industrial Safety and Migrant Worker Measures"

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Kim Gab-dong] Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon identified industrial safety and migrant worker measures as priorities following the Hwaseong factory fire incident, and emphasized his determination to implement these follow-up measures concretely rather than merely through talk.

Governor Kim met with the press after paying respects at the ‘Hwaseong Factory Fire Victims Joint Memorial Altar’ set up in the lobby of the Gyeonggi Provincial Government Building on the 26th, explaining accident recovery and additional measures.

Governor Kim first stated that the recovery of remains, identification of victims, and funerals according to bereaved families' wishes must be conducted promptly, and then expressed his intention to focus on implementing concrete industrial safety and migrant worker measures going forward.

Governor Kim said, “I came to realize that we need to establish practical industrial safety measures for industrial sites and factories vulnerable to hazardous substances or safety risks,” and added, “Since those who worked came in the form of dispatched workers, it is presumed they did not receive information and training on how to respond to dangerous situations. Going forward, we will carefully examine safety education for workers in industrial sites.”

Regarding migrant worker measures, Governor Kim pointed out that measures must be established for safety, healthcare, housing, and education issues. He stated, “These are people who come to work at our companies. I thought we must address safety issues without discrimination,” and added, “Starting with safety and healthcare issues, we will create effective measures.”

Particularly regarding healthcare, he said, “If migrant workers cannot go to hospitals even when ill, it is a major blind spot in human rights. I will look for ways to address healthcare and health issues for migrant workers through Gyeonggi Province Public Medical Center and private medical institutions.”

Regarding criticism that there may be limitations for Gyeonggi Province in implementing industrial safety and migrant worker measures, he stated, “Usually when such disasters occur, only lip service is given without follow-up action. This time, Gyeonggi Province will do things differently,” reiterating his intention to learn from the Itaewon disaster as a cautionary tale.

Governor Kim said, “That we rushed to the scene immediately after the accident and held briefings at the scene three times are Gyeonggi Province's own lessons from how the government mishandled the situation,” and emphasized, “I believe the first step in preventing recurrence of accidents is clarifying the causes and responsibility, and establishing proper measures. We will make every effort to ensure this never happens again.”

Meanwhile, the province set up joint memorial altars at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government Building in Gwanggyo, Suwon, and the Northern Government Building in Uijeongbu to commemorate the victims of this fire incident and flew flags at half-mast.

Governor Kim Dong-yeon, who visited the memorial altar at 8:30 a.m. that morning, paid respects and wrote in the visitor's log, “I respectfully pray for the repose of the souls. We will re-examine industrial safety and migrant worker measures and establish them properly.”