Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon said Monday he would stake his post on reducing South Korea’s workplace fatality rate from zero-point-39 deaths per ten-thousand workers to the OECD average of zero-point-29 by 2030.

Speaking at his first press conference since taking office, Kim said the government will convene a new ministerial meeting on labor safety and target structural problems in industries like construction’s illegal subcontracting system.

He stressed that special measures will focus on older workers, migrant laborers, and delivery riders, who are disproportionately affected by serious industrial accidents.

Kim also noted that from October 1 inspectors will immediately penalize safety violations without prior corrective orders, while citizens will be able to report workplace hazards through a new hotline with rewards offered from next year.

He pledged to use the recently passed labor law amendment — known as the “Yellow Envelope Law” — to foster labor-management cooperation and announced plans to simulate joint bargaining councils at major workplaces.

Kim added that extending the retirement age would be a key issue for upcoming social dialogue, and that the ministry’s official abbreviation will now be changed from “Employment Ministry” to “Labor Ministry” to reflect its broader focus on all workers.