South Korea to Expedite Benefits for Work-Related Illnesses,Bolster Investigation Capacity
Seoul,South Korea – Workers in South Korea diagnosed with occupationally-linked diseases will soon see a substantially faster path to benefits,as the Ministry of Employment and Labour (MOEL) moves to streamline procedures and enhance its investigative capabilities. The changes, announced today, aim to address longstanding concerns about delays in recognizing and compensating for work-related illnesses, especially musculoskeletal disorders, occupational cancers, and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.Currently, establishing a causal link between a disease and a worker’s job can be a lengthy process. The MOEL is shortening the estimation application period for occasional diseases from seven months to four months and simplifying procedures when such relationships are officially recognized. These improvements come after recent decisions to disapprove claims prompted a review of existing buisness procedures. The ministry also plans to introduce a national election system for disaster workers starting next year.
To strengthen disaster investigation, MOEL will establish dedicated organizations and increase manpower. Sixty-four regional headquarters and branches will focus on musculoskeletal diseases, while a single Seoul headquarters unit will handle occupational cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases – conditions representing the majority of current applications. Mandatory training courses for Industrial Accident Insurance Disaster Survey Experts (CIE) will be implemented to improve professionalism and recruitment.Further accelerating the process,the ministry is developing an AI system leveraging accumulated industrial accident judgment data to provide guidelines for future cases.”This measure responded to the voices of workers who have been inconvenient due to delayed industrial accidents,” stated minister of Employment and Labor Kim Young-hoon. “We will do our best to play the role of the system of ‘rapid and fair industrial accidents,’ the most crucial value of the Industrial accident Compensation Insurance Act.”
