Worker at Posco steel plant struck by vehicle and killed

People leave the Posco Center building in Gangnam District, southern Seoul [NEWS1]

A worker at Posco’s Pohang Steelworks in North Gyeongsang died on Thursday.

The 39-year-old was employed by Samhe E&C, a subcontractor, and died Thursday while working at Posco’s No. 3 Coke Plant.

Coke is a material made by heating coal and is needed to smelt iron ore in a furnace.

The worker was conducting a safety inspection of a steam pipe at the facility and was hit with a vehicle transporting coke at 9:47 a.m.

According to the Pohang Nambu Police the 39-year-old died after being taken to the hospital at around 10:40 a.m.

The steelmaker has set up a team to deal with the accident and is in talks with Pohang Nambu Police to determine the exact cause of the accident.

“We express our deepest condolences,” said Posco Group CEO Choi Jeong-woo in a statement released Thursday. “We will take on responsibilities and apply follow-up measures we can to prevent further accidents and provide compensation.”

BY LEE TAE-HEE [lee.taehee2@joongang.co.kr]