Distinguished guests,

and all workers who steadfastly uphold our industrial sites,

it is a pleasure to meet you.

I am Kwon Gi-seob, Chairman of the Economic, Social and Labor Council.

I extend my sincere congratulations on the 2025 Industrial Safety and Health Month Commemoration Ceremony, held under the theme of "Safe Workplaces, Happiness for All."

I express my gratitude to Vice Minister Kwon Chang-jun of the Ministry of Employment and Labor, President Kim Hyun-jung of the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency, and all related officials for arranging this meaningful event.

My thanks also go to Assembly Members Kim Joo-young, Han Jeong-ae, Park Jeong, Park Hae-cheol, Park Hong-bae, and Woo Jae-jun for gracing this occasion.

Above all, I convey my respect and congratulations to all those who have dedicated themselves to preventing industrial accidents.

Three years have passed since the enforcement of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act, yet large and small accidents continue to occur at our industrial sites.

Criticism persists that our safety standards are low, unbefitting of Korea's national standing.

Safety is not a subject for compromise; it is directly linked to the dignity of labor. Especially at industrial sites, safety goes beyond mere accident prevention;

it is the minimum right for workers to lead a humane life.

Protecting that right is the responsibility of all of us, a shared task that employers, workers, and the government must collectively bear.

Employers are required to recognize that safety is not a cost but the most fundamental investment, and to responsibly establish and lead safety and health management systems, continuously improve working environments, and thoroughly conduct regular safety and health education.

Workers, too, must actively participate in creating a safe working environment by adhering to safety rules, promptly sharing on-site hazards, and actively participating in industrial safety and health education.

The government must also exert its utmost efforts, including refining relevant laws and systems, conducting periodic on-site inspections and supervision, and providing financial and technical support and consulting for vulnerable small and medium-sized businesses.

The year 2025 demands a paradigm shift in industrial safety and health due to the emergence of new technologies and industries, deepening aging populations, and rapid climate change such as heatwaves.

Policies addressing new challenges are also urgent, including predictive safety management utilizing smart technologies, protection measures for diverse employment types and vulnerable groups, and a comprehensive approach to mental health.

The new government's vision of "establishing a labor safety and health system for all workers" also raises expectations for groundbreaking progress in industrial safety and health standards.

The Economic, Social and Labor Council reached a labor-management-government agreement for serious accident prevention in 2023.

This includes the separation of industrial accident compensation and prevention functions, expansion of labor-management participatory industrial accident prevention projects, strengthening industrial safety support for small and medium-sized enterprises and subcontractors, advancement of accident cause investigations, and the dissemination of safety information and prevention culture.

Moving forward, the Economic, Social and Labor Council will continue to encourage the thorough implementation of the labor-management-government agreement,

while fulfilling its role as an industrial safety platform that translates on-site voices into policy, mediates conflicts, and establishes fair norms.

I sincerely hope that today's commemoration ceremony will go beyond a mere event, serving as an opportunity for a groundbreaking improvement in industrial safety standards and for all workplaces nationwide to be reborn as safe and healthy environments.

I wish health and happiness to everyone who has joined us today.

Thank you.