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President Lee Jae-myung meets with Prime Minister Kim Min-seok for a weekly policy briefing at the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul, on July 7. / Source: Presidential Office

President Lee Jae-myung on July 7 ordered government agencies to take “extraordinary measures” to prevent workplace deaths, following a fatal accident in which a worker died while inspecting an underground sewage line in Incheon.

“Stop deaths at worksites. Devise special instructions to ensure it,” Lee was quoted as saying by presidential spokesperson Lee Kyu-yeon. The directive came during Lee’s regular meeting with Prime Minister Kim Min-seok at the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul.

“The state bears the responsibility to protect the lives and safety of its citizens, especially those who work for a living,” President Lee stated. He called for a full investigation into whether there were shortcomings in safety management and possible violations of laws such as the Serious Accidents Punishment Act, urging that those responsible be held strictly accountable.

He also emphasized the need to “eliminate third-world-level industrial accidents” by overhauling on-site safety procedures and strengthening advance supervision and inspections.

According to the Incheon Fire Department, a 52-year-old man identified as Mr. A went missing on July 6 while inspecting a wastewater conduit through a manhole in Byeongbang-dong, Gyeyang District. His body was found the following morning at the Gulpocheon sewage treatment plant in Incheon.

The briefing was held under President Lee’s special directive.

When asked whether the administration was considering legislative revisions to reinforce accountability for industrial accidents, the presidential office said, “The president has been instructing the relevant ministries to work on legal revisions, and a concrete report is expected soon.”

Spokesperson Lee added, “If the investigation reveals that safety management was outsourced irresponsibly, even stronger actions may follow.”

Since taking office on June 4, President Lee has repeatedly stressed the importance of building a “safe and peaceful nation.” In his inaugural address to the National Assembly, he pledged to uncover the truth behind national tragedies such as the Sewol ferry sinking, the Itaewon crowd disaster, and the Osong underpass flooding, and to establish a society where lives and livelihoods are protected.

He also vowed not to tolerate “unfair gains by those who break the rules, nor unjust suffering of those who follow them.”

President Lee has continued to prioritize public safety through multiple cabinet and senior secretary meetings, focusing on monsoon season risks and heatwave preparedness. He has personally visited the Han River Flood Control Office and the Itaewon disaster site to underscore proactive safety measures.

In particular, he warned that “when accidents occur due to negligence or indifference, strict accountability will follow,” urging all relevant officials to maintain thorough preparedness.