SEOUL, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's industrial accident deaths hit a record low for the first nine months of this year, driven by stricter government inspections and stronger workplace safety efforts, labor ministry data showed on Tuesday.
The number of workplace fatalities subject to occupational accident investigations dipped 19.9 percent from a year earlier to 366 in the January-September period, according to the Ministry of Employment and Labor.
It marked the lowest figure since relevant data began to be compiled in 2022.
The cumulative third-quarter death toll showed a steady decline in recent years, falling from 510 in 2022 to 459 in 2023, 443 in 2024, and 457 in 2025 before hitting the record low of 366 this year.
The continued downturn was attributed to a combination of proactive government oversight and enhanced safety measures at workplaces.
The reduction in fatal accidents was seen across workplaces of all sizes. In businesses with fewer than 50 employees, the number of deaths fell 18.9 percent to 223, while workplaces with 50 or more employees recorded a 21.4 percent drop to 143.
By industry, the construction sector led the downward trend, reporting 150 deaths in the nine-month period, which was down 28.6 percent from a year earlier.
The manufacturing sector logged a 10.9 percent increase in fatalities to 132 due to large-scale industrial accidents, including a factory fire in March that killed 14 workers.
By type of accident, fatal falls, traditionally the most common cause of workplace deaths, tumbled 37.7 percent to 124 between January and September.
Fatalities caused by collisions decreased 13.3 percent to 39, but deaths resulting from crushing accidents rose 8.1 percent to 40. ■
