Corporate Training · Serious Accidents Punishment Act · Occupational Safety and Health Act

Serious Accidents Punishment Act training for executives and supervisors

The Serious Accidents Punishment Act does not say “the responsible executive must take X hours of training.” So many companies conclude, “We have no training obligation.” But the Act’s Enforcement Decree directly requires the responsible executive to check at least once every six months that the training required under safety and health laws has been delivered, and to take the necessary steps if it has not. Training itself is not mandatory, but failing to ensure it happens is a violation. After an accident, the order reverses — the responsible executive must then personally complete 20 hours of training, and failing to do so carries an administrative fine of up to KRW 50 million (≈ US$37,400).

Who it applies to

All workplaces with 5 or more regular employees (extended on 27 Jan 2024 to workplaces with fewer than 50 employees and construction projects under KRW 5 billion (≈ US$3,740,800))

Who is responsible

The person with the authority and responsibility to represent and oversee the business — usually the CEO. Appointing an executive dedicated to safety and health does not automatically shift the CEO’s responsibility

Serious industrial accident

At least 1 death · at least 2 people injured in the same accident needing 6+ months of treatment · at least 3 people with occupational diseases from the same hazardous factor within one year

Penalties

Death: the responsible executive faces at least 1 year in prison or a fine of up to KRW 1 billion (≈ US$748,200) (both may be imposed), and the company faces a fine of up to KRW 5 billion (≈ US$3,740,800). Damages of up to 5 times the loss

Training requirement

No advance training is required. Instead: ① check at least twice a year (every six months) whether the training required under relevant laws has been carried out; ② if a serious industrial accident occurs, the responsible executive must personally complete 20 hours of training (failure to do so carries an administrative fine of up to KRW 50 million (≈ US$37,400))

What the responsible executive must do

Article 4 of the Act sets out four duties for the responsible executive. Article 4 of the Enforcement Decree breaks the first (building and operating a safety and health management system) down into nine items, and Article 5 breaks the fourth (managing compliance with safety and health laws) down into two. What follows is not the legal text itself but a condensed summary for managers. Check the exact wording at the Korea Law Information Center.

Set safety and health goals and a management policyIt looks like a one-page document, but in court what matters is not whether the document existed, but whether the goals translated into budget, staffing, and evaluation.
Set up a dedicated organization to oversee safety and healthApplies to companies with 500 or more regular employees, or construction firms ranked in the top 200 by construction capacity. Smaller companies designate a responsible person instead of a dedicated organization.
Set up a procedure to identify and improve hazards and risks, and review it at least once every six monthsIf you carried out a risk assessment under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, that procedure can count. What matters is not that you did it, but that you reviewed it and made improvements.
Allocate and spend the budget needed to prevent accidentsA budget that is allocated but left unspent is hard to count as compliance. Spending records are your evidence.
Give safety and health managers, supervisors, and overall safety and health supervisors the authority and budget they need, set criteria for evaluating their performance, and evaluate and manage them at least twice a yearThis is where supervisor training connects directly to the executive’s duties. A supervisor who is listed in name only, with no authority or budget, is evidence that no system exists.
Assign at least the legally required number of safety managers, health managers, safety and health officers, and occupational physiciansThe scope for holding concurrent roles and the staffing standards follow the Enforcement Decree of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
Set up a procedure for hearing workers’ opinions and check at least twice a year that it is being followedAn occupational safety and health committee or a safety suggestion system can serve as this procedure. There must be a record showing that opinions were heard.
Create a manual for when a serious industrial accident occurs or is imminent, and review it at least once every six monthsIt must cover work stoppage, worker evacuation, hazard removal, and rescue measures.
When subcontracting or outsourcing work, establish criteria and procedures for evaluating the contractor’s ability to prevent industrial accidents, set standards for safety and health costs and construction schedules, and review them at least once every six monthsRecords showing you simply chose the lowest bidder become evidence against you. This is the item most often at issue in construction.

plus managing compliance with safety and health laws (Enforcement Decree, Article 5)

Review at least once every six months whether duties under safety and health laws are being fulfilled, and where they are not, take action with staff and budget to fulfill themThe review can be done in-house or outsourced to a safety management agency.
Check at least once every six months that safety and health training for hazardous work has been delivered, and if not, take the necessary action without delayThis is the only preventive provision in the Serious Accidents Punishment Act that directly mentions training. A workplace that skips statutory training faces both Occupational Safety and Health Act fines and a violation of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act.

Penalty levels

Penalties are set out in Article 6 (individuals), Article 7 (corporate liability) and Article 15 (damages).

When	Who it’s for	What
One or more deaths	Responsible executives	At least 1 year in prison or a fine of up to KRW 1 billion (≈ US$748,200) (both may be imposed)
One or more deaths	Companies and institutions	Fine of up to KRW 5 billion (≈ US$3,740,800)
2 or more people injured and needing treatment for 6 months or longer, or 3 or more with occupational diseases	Responsible executives	Up to 7 years in prison or a fine of up to KRW 100 million (≈ US$74,800)
2 or more people injured and needing treatment for 6 months or longer, or 3 or more with occupational diseases	Companies and institutions	Fine of up to KRW 1 billion (≈ US$748,200)
Where the duty was violated intentionally or through gross negligence	Business owners, corporations, and institutions	Punitive damages of up to 5 times the actual loss
Failure to complete safety and health training after a serious industrial accident	Responsible executives	Fine of up to KRW 50 million (≈ US$37,400) (20 hours of training)

The numbers from the field

In 2025, there were 605 accident-related deaths (573 cases) subject to investigation. That is 16 more than the 589 in 2024, and most of the increase came from small workplaces.

All	605 deaths (573 cases)	Up 16 (2.7%) from the previous year
Construction	286 deaths (267 cases)	Up 10 (3.6%) from the previous year — 47% of the total
Manufacturing	158 deaths (150 cases)	Down 17 (9.7%) from the previous year
Workplaces with fewer than 50 employees	351 deaths (344 cases)	Up 12 (3.5%) from the previous year
Workplaces with fewer than 5 workers	174 deaths (170 cases)	Up 22 deaths (14.5%) year over year

Ministry of Employment and Labor, “2025 (Cumulative) Industrial Accident Statistics, Supplementary Data — Fatal Accidents Subject to Investigation,” preliminary results (published 31 Mar 2026)

Many cases are investigated, but indictments are slow. From the Act’s entry into force in January 2022 through June 2025, 1,091 cases went to investigation and 121 (11%) were indicted, taking an average of 555 days (about 1.5 years) from accident to indictment. In other words, you are judged one to two years after the accident, solely on the records you kept in the meantime.

Maeil Labor News, “Serious Accident Indictments Pass 100, but Cover Only 11% of All Accidents” (2025)

Two courses

Executives and on-site supervisors need to hear different things. Scheduled back to back on the same day, a 2-hour executive session plus a 4-hour supervisor session fits into one day.

🧭

Executive program

2-hour seminar (standard)

A 2-hour special lecture for CEOs and executives. We turn the nine required measures into “what to check, when, and what records to keep.”

View course details →

⛑️

Supervisor program

4-hour half-day or 8-hour full day

We cover 4 or 8 of the 16 legally required annual hours in person. Risk assessment, work stoppage, and recordkeeping, taught through real site cases.

View course details →

Construction and manufacturing — how real cases differ

Nearly half of the workplace fatalities in 2025 occurred in construction, and the first ruling and first prison sentence under the Serious Accidents Punishment Act came from a construction site and a manufacturing site, respectively.

🏗️ Construction — what’s different

Of the 605 workplace fatalities subject to accident investigation in 2025, 286 (47%) were in construction, up 10 from the previous year. The first ruling under the Serious Accidents Punishment Act also involved a construction site.

Scope of application	For projects of KRW 5 billion (≈ US$3,740,800) or more, the Act has applied since 27 Jan 2022; for projects under KRW 5 (≈ US$1) billion, since 27 Jan 2024. It now applies to any workplace with 5 or more regular employees, regardless of project value.
Dedicated unit	Construction companies ranked in the top 200 by construction capacity must have a dedicated organization that oversees safety and health.
The weakest link	These are the standards for contracting, outsourced services, and delegation. You must set standards and procedures for assessing a contractor’s ability to prevent industrial accidents, along with standards for safety and health costs and construction schedules, and check them at least twice a year. A record showing that contractors were chosen on lowest price alone will count as evidence against you.
Supervisors	Designate one per site. Naming a single person at headquarters does not meet the requirement.
Accident types	Falls, collapses, and collisions are the main types, and in 2025 these types increased from the previous year.

First ruling under the Serious Accidents Punishment Act — prime contractor CEO found guilty

Uijeongbu District Court, Goyang Branch · 6 Apr 2023

In May 2022, a subcontractor’s worker fell and died at a nursing-hospital extension site in Goyang. The court found that the required measures under the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Rules, such as fall-protection harness anchor points and a written work plan, had not been taken, and that the principal contractor had not properly met its duty to build and operate a safety and health management system.

The prime contractor’s CEO received a 1-year-6-month prison sentence suspended for 3 years, the company a KRW 30 million (≈ US$22,400) fine, and the site manager a KRW 5 million (≈ US$3,740) fine. Neither the prosecution nor the defendants appealed, so the ruling became final.

The apology and condolence payment to the bereaved family, and the fact that the family did not seek punishment, were reflected in the sentence. It also means that without those circumstances, a prison sentence was possible.

At a site the principal contractor effectively controls, operates, or manages, an accident involving a subcontractor’s worker is also the responsibility of the principal contractor’s executive.
Simply having a site manager and a safety manager is not considered a functioning system. What matters is whether they were actually given authority and budget.
Missing individual measures required by regulation, such as work plans and safety harness anchor equipment, are used as evidence of an inadequate system.

🏭 Manufacturing — what’s different

In 2025, manufacturing accident deaths fell by 17 to 158 (150 cases). They are declining, but still account for a quarter of all deaths, and the first prison sentence and the first ruling finalized by the Supreme Court under the Serious Accidents Punishment Act both came from manufacturing sites.

Scope of application	The Act applies to workplaces with 5 or more regular employees. The grace period for workplaces with fewer than 50 employees ended on 26 Jan 2024.
Dedicated unit	Companies with 500 or more regular employees must have a dedicated organization overseeing safety and health.
The weakest link	These are non-routine tasks such as equipment repair, cleaning and maintenance. A risk assessment that covers only routine work misses the tasks where accidents actually happen.
Occupational diseases	If three or more workers develop occupational illnesses such as acute poisoning from the same hazard within one year, it counts as a serious industrial accident even with no deaths. Workplaces that handle chemicals should check this provision separately.
Accident types	Caught-in and struck-by accidents are the main types. Both declined from the previous year in 2025.

First prison sentence, first final Supreme Court ruling — death of a subcontractor’s worker

Changwon District Court, Masan Branch → Busan High Court, Changwon Division → Supreme Court (ruling of 28 Dec 2023, Case No. 2023Do12316) · First-instance ruling 26 Apr 2023 · Finalized by the Supreme Court 28 Dec 2023

In March 2022, at Korea Steel in Haman, South Gyeongsang, a subcontractor’s worker died when a heat-dissipation plate weighing about 1.2 tons fell during equipment repair work. The court of first instance sentenced the CEO to one year in prison and took him into custody in the courtroom.

CEO sentenced to 1 year in prison (final), corporate fine of KRW 100 million (≈ US$74,800). This is the first prison sentence since the Act took effect, and the first one upheld by the Supreme Court.

The main reason given for the prison sentence was a record of repeated punishment for violating the Occupational Safety and Health Act. The Supreme Court held that the offense of causing death under the Serious Accidents Punishment Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act offense arising from the worker’s death, and professional negligence resulting in death are in a relationship of ideal concurrence.

A past record of Occupational Safety and Health Act violations weighs heavily at sentencing. Organizing your corrective-order and fine history is where preparation starts.
First check whether non-routine work such as equipment repair and maintenance, and work done by contractors, is included in your risk assessment.
Even with no deaths, three workers with occupational illnesses such as acute poisoning within one year make it a serious industrial accident.

On-Site Training · Get a Quote

Tell us the training hours, headcount, and industry, and we will send a schedule proposal and quote within 24 hours.

Quote calculator Message us to plan your program Call +82 10-2414-3329

Published base rates are KRW 1.2 million (≈ US$900) for talks of 2 hours or less, KRW 600,000 (≈ US$450) per hour for half-day sessions of 3–4 hours, and KRW 500,000 (≈ US$375) per hour for full-day sessions of 6–8 hours. VAT, materials, and travel are extra. If sessions are split by shift or site, the price is multiplied by the number of sessions. A 2-hour executive session and a 4-hour supervisor session held on the same day are priced as one 6-hour day.

FAQ

Is Serious Accidents Punishment Act training legally mandatory?

The Serious Accidents Punishment Act does not require advance training. However, Article 5 of its Enforcement Decree obliges the responsible executive to check at least once every six months that the training on hazardous work required under safety and health laws has been delivered, and to take action without delay if it has not. In addition, Article 8 of the Act requires the responsible executive of an organization where a serious industrial accident has occurred to complete safety and health training of up to 20 hours in total, with a fine of up to KRW 50 million (≈ US$37,400) for failing to do so without justifiable reason. Supervisor training (16 hours a year), by contrast, is statutory mandatory training under the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

Does the Serious Accidents Punishment Act apply to my company?

It applies to any business with 5 or more regular workers, regardless of industry. Since January 27, 2024, it has extended to workplaces with fewer than 50 regular workers and construction projects under KRW 5 (≈ US$1) billion, so all grace periods have ended. Workplaces with fewer than 5 regular workers are not covered by the serious industrial accident provisions.

What counts as a serious industrial accident?

An industrial accident that results in ① at least one death, ② at least two people injured in the same accident who need treatment for six months or longer, or ③ at least three people within one year who develop occupational diseases, such as acute poisoning, from the same hazardous factor. The criteria differ from those for a “serious accident” under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, so the two must be distinguished.

What penalties does a responsible executive face?

If one or more people die, the responsible executive faces at least 1 year in prison or a fine of up to KRW 1 (≈ US$1) billion, and the two may be imposed together; the company faces a fine of up to KRW 5 billion (≈ US$3,740,800). For injuries or occupational illness, the executive faces up to 7 years in prison or a fine of up to KRW 100 (≈ US$1) million, and the company a fine of up to KRW 1 billion (≈ US$748,200). If intent or gross negligence is found, punitive damages of up to five times the actual damages also apply.

Is a principal contractor also punished for accidents involving a subcontractor’s workers?

If a prime contractor substantively controls, operates, or manages a workplace, its responsible executive also owes safety and health duties there. The first ruling under the Serious Accidents Punishment Act (April 2023, Goyang Branch of Uijeongbu District Court) involved the fatal fall of a subcontractor’s worker: the prime contractor’s CEO received an 18-month prison sentence suspended for 3 years and the company a fine of KRW 30 (≈ US$1) million, and the ruling became final. The first actual prison sentence (Korea Steel, finalized by the Supreme Court on December 28, 2023) also involved the death of a subcontractor’s worker.

How many hours is supervisor training, and can it be taken online?

Under Appendix 4 of the Enforcement Rule of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, regular training for supervisors is at least 16 hours a year, with separate 8-hour training at hiring and 2-hour training when job duties change. At least half of the annual hours must be delivered by a method other than internet-based remote training, so 16 hours cannot be completed online alone. Administrative fines for non-compliance, per supervisor, are KRW 500,000 (≈ US$375) for the first offense, KRW 2.5 million (≈ US$1,870) for the second, and KRW 5 million (≈ US$3,740) for the third.

How much does the training cost, and can it be done in one day?

At our published standard rates, a lecture of 2 hours or less is KRW 1.2 (≈ US$1) million, a half-day of 3–4 hours is KRW 600,000 (≈ US$450) per hour, and a full day of 6–8 hours is KRW 500,000 (≈ US$375) per hour, all excluding VAT. If you combine a 2-hour executive lecture and a 4-hour supervisor half-day on the same day, it is priced as a single 6-hour day. If sessions are split by shift or site, the price is multiplied by the number of sessions.

Is it eligible for Employment Insurance reimbursement?

No. To qualify for an employment insurance refund, training must be delivered as outsourced training under a course approved by the Ministry of Employment and Labor. Nanum Consulting does not hold course approval, so on-site training we deliver at your company is not eligible for a refund. If a refund is a requirement for budget approval, please tell us at the inquiry stage.

⛑️ Occupational Safety and Health Training Guide 🧩 Statutory Mandatory Training Summary Table 🧮 Statutory Mandatory Training Checker 🧾 Quote Calculator

Legal basis · Sources

This page provides general information to help you understand the Serious Accidents Punishment Act and the Occupational Safety and Health Act. It is not legal advice. Applicability, scope of obligations, and penalty levels depend on a workplace’s size, industry, and contract structure, on amendments to the law, and on the facts of each case. For specific matters, please consult an attorney, a certified labor attorney, or the local employment and labor office. Cited rulings summarize press reports and publicly released case materials and may differ from the full text of the judgment. As of September 2026.