President Lee Jae Myung has vowed to reform what he called South Korea’s “backward industrial accident republic,” saying he is prepared to amend laws if necessary to cut workplace fatalities.

Speaking at a Cabinet meeting Tuesday, Lee condemned preventable accidents caused by cost-cutting as “a form of murder” and called for strict sanctions against worksites that violate safety rules.

He also criticized the repeated subcontracting and outsourcing of hazardous tasks in the construction sector, saying such practices undermine safety.

The remarks come as the Presidential Policy Planning Committee is set to unveil on Wednesday a five-year blueprint that includes a target to lower workplace fatalities from three-point-nine deaths per 100-thousand workers to the OECD average of two-point-nine per 100-thousand by 2030.

Separately, Lee urged authorities to prevent human rights abuses against foreigners and other vulnerable members of society, citing a recent hate rally outside a Chinese diplomatic mission that involved verbal abuse and violence “beyond what could be considered freedom of expression.”

He said such scenes are “unbecoming” of South Korea’s status as a model democratic nation that values diversity and inclusion, warning they could harm the country’s national interests and reputation at a time of global enthusiasm for K-culture.