President Lee Jae Myung on Sunday expressed “deep sorrow and apology” after the last missing worker from the Ulsan thermal power plant collapse was found dead, raising the death toll to seven.
“As the person ultimately responsible for public safety, I offer my sincerest apology,” Lee wrote in a Facebook post. “Despite the desperate hopes of the people, all seven workers who were trapped have returned to their families as cold bodies. My heart breaks.”
Lee extended condolences to the victims’ families, emphasizing that the incident “should never have happened.” He said that making a living must not lead to losing one's life, and pledged that the tragedy of workplaces becoming scenes of fatal accidents must end "once and for all.”
He also pledged a thorough investigation into the cause of the collapse, which occurred Nov. 6 during preparatory work for the dismantling of the boiler tower.
“We will closely examine whether there was inadequate safety management at the site or if unreasonable work was pushed due to schedule pressure,” Lee said.
“Through a swift and meticulous investigation, we will identify the exact cause of the accident and hold those responsible accountable, regardless of their rank or position.”
Lee instructed relevant ministries to reassess safety protocols at all industrial sites from the ground up, calling for comprehensive inspections of high-risk workplaces during the winter season.
The accident at the Ulsan thermal power plant, operated by state-run utility Korea East-West Power Co., trapped several workers under steel structures. Rescue operations continued for days amid challenging conditions before the final victim was recovered Saturday.
“The lives lost in this tragedy remind us that safety must be at the center of all labor and industrial practices,” Lee said, vowing to ensure stronger preventive measures to protect workers nationwide.
jychoi@heraldcorp.com
