A National Assembly review found that work-related disease cases handled by the workers’ compensation system rose from 24,871 in 2021 to 50,946 last year, an increase of 104.8%. Occupational cancer cases increased from 576 to 1,614 over the same period, while only 30 investigators were added for work-related disease reviews and none for commuting accidents.
Shin Jeong-hoon said the staffing gap, pay differences and employee departures could undermine the government’s goal of reducing the average processing time for work-related disease claims to 120 days next year. He called for more investigators and additional government funding for the Korea Workers’ Compensation and Welfare Service.