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For more occupational safety – Korean members of parliament visit the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs

BMAS/ D. Baller

Katja Mast, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (centre), with members of the Korean National Assembly (from left to right) Hong Bae Park, Hye-Ryun Back, Yoon Kim and Ju Young Lee

Work can be fatal – this is still a sad certainty for millions of workers worldwide. Reducing accidents at work and occupational illnesses is therefore a key concern of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS). On 3 December 2025, Parliamentary State Secretary Katja Mast received a delegation of four members of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea who wanted to find out more about the German occupational health and safety system.

Headed by member of parliament Hye-Ryun Back, the delegation wanted to learn more about Germany's measures to ensure occupational health and safety. Although the number of fatal accidents at work in the Republic of Korea has fallen in recent years, pre-existing conditions in particular are often only diagnosed when it is too late. State Secretary Mast emphasised the particular importance of prevention in the German occupational health and safety system. This approach has helped to reduce the number of fatal accidents at work in Germany from 1,543 in 1993 to 351 in 2024.

Every accident at work is one too many, no matter where it happens. The discussions with the Republic of Korea give us the opportunity to pass on our good experiences in occupational health and safety and to learn from Korea's experiences.

The Korean members of parliament also wanted to discuss the challenges of demographic change for the pension insurance system. With a birth rate of 0.75 births per woman in 2024, the Republic of Korea faces the question of how to achieve sustainable financing of social security. State Secretary Mast presented incentives to make working longer attractive and to motivate pensioners to continue working on a voluntary basis. She also referred to the appointment of a pension commission for the coming year.