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Article

21 Nov 2025

Author:
Woo-Seop Kim, Hankyung

S. Korea: POSCO reports seventh worker death this year; three workers suffer cardiac arrest at Pohang Steelworks, plant chief dismissed

Allegations

[Unofficial translation provided by the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre]

“POSCO replaces head of Pohang Steelworks following string of fatal accidents”, 21 November 2025

POSCO has dismissed the head of its Pohang Steelworks following a series of industrial accidents resulting in multiple fatalities.

The company announced on the 21st that it had relieved Lee Dong-ryeol of his post as head of the Pohang Steelworks in connection with recent safety incidents. (…) The previous day, three workers cleaning outdoor sludge were exposed to toxic gas and fell into cardiac arrest. On 5 November, one of four subcontracted workers employed by POSCO DX died after being exposed to hazardous chemicals during a leak in the annealing and pickling workshop of the stainless rolling division. In March, a worker from POSCO PR Tech, a POSCO subsidiary, was killed after becoming trapped in machinery during repair work in the cold rolling mill.