“KEPCO KPS to directly hire 593 subcontracted workers”, 10 February 2026

Around 600 subcontracted maintenance workers — colleagues of Kim Chung-hyun, who died last year while working at the Taean coal-fired power plant — will be directly employed by the principal contractor, KEPCO KPS. The measure is aimed at addressing the “outsourcing of risk” structure prevalent in the power generation industry, where multi-layered subcontracting arrangements are common, and at strengthening worker safety and job security.

Following Kim’s fatal industrial accident in June last year, when he was working as a re-subcontracted worker at Taean Power Plant, the government established a consultative body comprising relevant ministries, workers and experts to discuss countermeasures.

The consultative body agreed to reform the multi-tier subcontracting structure in the power plant maintenance sector in order to prevent the recurrence of fatal accidents and to secure employment and safety for workers engaged in permanent, continuous and life- and safety-related duties in the public sector. […] Those eligible for direct employment are 593 workers who had joined KEPCO KPS subcontractors prior to 2 June last year, before Kim’s accident. The recruitment method for workers hired thereafter will be determined by a tripartite consultative body comprising management, labour and experts.

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In addition, to address employment insecurity arising from the closure of coal-fired power plants, the government will establish a social dialogue body tentatively titled the Just Transition Council for Coal Phase-out, involving representatives from labour, management, experts and government. Led by the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, the body will include officials from relevant ministries, employer representatives such as KEPCO KPS and five power generation companies and their subsidiaries, as well as worker representatives and experts. The council will assess the employment impact of plant closures and develop measures to safeguard jobs. The government said it would seek to reflect these measures in its 2040 coal power transition roadmap.