South Korea to amend the Occupational Safety and Health Act

On May 16, 2025, Assembly Member Cho Ji-yeon and 10 other lawmakers submitted a bill to partially amend the Occupational Safety and Health Act to the National Assembly of South Korea. The proposed bill was then subject to public consultation from May 20 to June 3. Following the expansion of the scope of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act in January 2024 to include workplaces with 5 to 49 employees, many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have been struggling to establish adequate safety management systems. Furthermore, there is criticism that regulatory control that relies solely on punitive measures has limitations in effectively preventing and reducing industrial accidents. In response to these challenges, this proposed amendment seeks to support companies that actively engage in preventing industrial accidents and have demonstrated outstanding performance. Under the draft amendment, such certified companies will be eligible for preferential treatment in the allocation of government funds and other support measures, thereby contributing to the prevention and reduction of industrial accidents.