Legislation calendar

Amendment

Ministerial title updated in Article 110(1).

Supplementary applicability Government Organization Act supplementary Article 7(402).

Affected work Institutional terminology

Amendment

Organizational changes to ministry bodies. Consult the amendments for provision-specific changes.

Supplementary applicability Effective on promulgation.

Affected work Institutional terminology

Amendment

The double-credit period for experiential safety training is clarified: each half-year for workers and the relevant year for supervisors. Electronic reporting provisions also change.

Supplementary applicability Effective on issue.

Affected work Safety training credits

Amendment

Confined-space changes cover measuring equipment, three-year retention of assessment records, pre-work instruction and prompt fire-service notification by attendants.

Supplementary applicability Supplementary Article 2: Article 619-2(4) applies to measurements taken from commencement.

Affected work Confined-space work

Amendment

Forms include guidance on objections.

Supplementary applicability Effective on promulgation.

Affected work Administrative forms

Amendment

The amendment requires performance-certified welding blankets for the covered fire-risk work around combustible materials.

Supplementary applicability Article 241(2)(4), latter sentence: six months after promulgation.

Affected work Hot work and permits

Amendment

Regulatory review deadlines are revised as part of an omnibus amendment.

Supplementary applicability Effective on promulgation.

Affected work Regulatory review

Amendment

Risk assessment changes cover worker-representative participation and sharing results. Disaster investigations and publication of investigation reports are expanded.

Supplementary applicability Supplementary Articles 2 and 3(1): assessments and relevant serious disasters from commencement; Article 56(1)(2) is excluded.

Affected work Risk assessment and investigation

Amendment

Risk assessment methods, procedures and timing, qualifying disasters for investigation and report-publication procedures are specified.

Supplementary applicability Effective 1 June 2026.

Affected work Risk assessment and investigation

Amendment

An import permit for prohibited substances under the Chemical Substances Control Act replaces the separate labour-ministry approval.

Supplementary applicability Supplementary Article 1 proviso: amended Article 117 takes effect on promulgation.

Affected work Prohibited-substance imports

Amendment

Articles 49(3-2) and 50(2) concerning safety and health diagnosis and improvement planning take effect. Check the provisions for workplace-specific conditions.

Supplementary applicability These provisions take effect on promulgation.

Affected work Diagnosis and improvement plans

Amendment

Annual safety and health disclosure applies to employers with at least 500 workers or KRW 120 billion in annual construction work, by 30 April. Worker-representative nominees become honorary safety inspectors with participation rights.

Supplementary applicability Act supplementary Article 1 proviso and subordinate legislation supplementary provisions.

Affected work Disclosure and participation

Amendment

The amended improvement-planning and expanded investigation requirements apply to the covered disasters.

Supplementary applicability Supplementary Article 3(2): disasters occurring from 1 December 2026.

Affected work Improvement planning and investigation

Amendment

New administrative-fine provisions, including non-performance of risk assessment, apply to workplaces with at least 50 workers (construction contracts at least KRW 5 billion).

Supplementary applicability Act supplementary Article 1(1); Decree 36540 supplementary proviso item 1.

Affected work Risk assessment

Amendment

Basic safety and health training for foreign workers is introduced. Hours and training institutions will be specified in a forthcoming Enforcement Rule amendment (not yet promulgated).

Supplementary applicability Supplementary Article 2: foreign workers hired from commencement.

Affected work Foreign-worker recruitment and training

Amendment

The corresponding fine provisions apply to workplaces with fewer than 50 workers (construction contracts below KRW 5 billion).

Supplementary applicability Act supplementary Article 1(2); the same Decree supplementary proviso item 2.

Affected work Risk assessment