Workbear재주넘는곰
대법원 95도230

Violation of the Occupational Safety and Health Act산업안전보건법위반

Decided1995. 05. 26. Court대법원Appeal dismissed; the representative director's conviction was upheld (Employer/Representative Director lost)
AI-generated English translation (summary, key points, decision summary and full text) for reference only — not an official translation and without legal effect. The Korean original below is authoritative.
AI Easy read — AI summary of this decision
AI-generated summary for reference only — the Korean original below is authoritative.

This case addressed whether a company's representative director (대표이사) could be punished under the joint penalty provision (양벌규정) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (산업안전보건법), even when he did not personally commit the violation. The Supreme Court (대법원) ruled that under the purpose of the joint penalty provision, even an actor who is not the 'business operator' can be subject to the penalty clause. The representative director, who was prosecuted for failing to conduct workplace environment measurements and failing to implement protective safety measures, had his conviction finalized.

Key takeaways
  • CaseA company's representative director was prosecuted for violating the Occupational Safety and Health Act by failing to measure the workplace environment and failing to implement safety protective measures.
  • OutcomeThe Supreme Court ruled that a representative director can be criminally punished under the joint penalty provision (양벌규정) even without personally committing the violation.
  • LessonCompany representatives can face criminal liability for safety violations even if they are not directly involved in day-to-day safety management, so businesses must establish thorough and reliable safety management systems.
Issues
  • Whether a person other than the formally designated 'business operator' can be punished under Article 71 (the joint penalty provision) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (산업안전보건법)
Key reasoning

The joint penalty provision (양벌규정) is designed to punish both the actual wrongdoer and the business entity (whether a corporation or an individual), even in cases where the business entity itself did not directly commit the violation. This means the law intends to hold accountable not only the company as the formal 'business operator' but also the individual who actually carried out (or failed to carry out) the required actions. Therefore, even a person who is not formally classified as the 'business operator'—such as a representative director acting on behalf of the company—can still be subject to criminal punishment under the relevant penalty clause. This interpretation ensures that responsible individuals cannot escape liability simply because the violation is attributed to the corporate entity rather than to themselves personally.

Summary of Decision (English, AI translation)

[1] Although it is clear from the provisions themselves that the persons subject to the penal provisions set forth in Article 67, Item 1, Article 23, Paragraph 1, Article 69, Item 4, and Article 42, Paragraph 1 of the Industrial Safety and Health Act (산업안전보건법) are business owners, Article 71 of the same Act establishes a joint penal provision (양벌규정) whereby, if the representative of a corporation, or an agent, employee (including a supervisor), or other worker of a corporation or individual commits a violation under Articles 67 through 70 in connection with the business of the corporation or individual, the actor shall be punished, and in addition, the penal provisions of each relevant Article shall also be applied to the corporation or individual. The purport of this provision is to punish both the actor and the business owner where the business owner, being a corporation or individual, has not directly committed the violation under Articles 67 through 70 of the same Act. Therefore, by virtue of this joint penal provision, an actor who is not the business owner also becomes subject to the penal provisions of Article 67, Item 1, and Article 69, Item 4 of the same Act, which are otherwise directed at business owners.

Full text (English, AI translation) 2,543 chars

[Defendant]

[Appellant] Defendants

[Lower Court Decision] Suwon District Court Decision 94No1347, decided December 15, 1994

[Order]

All appeals are dismissed.

[Reasoning]

The grounds of appeal are examined.

It is clear from the provisions themselves that the penal provisions of Article 67, Item 1, in conjunction with Article 23, Paragraph 1, and Article 69, Item 4, in conjunction with Article 42, Paragraph 1, of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (산업안전보건법) apply to business operators (사업자). However, Article 71 of the same Act provides a joint penalty provision (양벌규정) stating that where a representative of a corporation, or an agent, employee (including a supervisor) or other worker of a corporation or individual, commits a violation of Articles 67 through 70 in connection with the business of the corporation or individual, the actor shall be punished, and in addition, the penal provisions of each respective article shall also be applied to the corporation or individual. The purpose of this provision is to punish both the actor and the business operator in cases where the violation of each respective article was not committed directly by the business operator, whether a corporation or an individual. Therefore, by virtue of this joint penalty provision, an actor who is not the business operator also becomes subject to the penal provisions of each respective article that apply to business operators (see this Court's Decision 91Do801, decided November 12, 1991).

The lower court, taking the above position, found that Defendant 1, as the representative director bearing full responsibility for the safety and health of the employees of co-defendant Company, failed to conduct workplace environment measurements and failed to implement protective measures, and thereafter, applying Article 71 of the same Act together with the penal provisions of Article 67, Item 1, and Article 69, Item 4, of the same Act, punished the said defendant accordingly. This determination by the lower court is correct, and there is no error such as misapprehension of the legal principles concerning the joint penalty provision, misapprehension of facts due to violation of the rules of evidence, or failure to state reasons, as argued in the grounds of appeal. All the grounds of appeal are without merit.

Accordingly, the participating Justices unanimously agree to dismiss all appeals, and the judgment is rendered as stated in the Order.

Justice Park Jun-seo (Presiding Justice), Park Man-ho (Justice in Charge), Kim Hyeong-seon

【판결요지】

산업안전보건법 제67조 제1호, 제23조 제1항, 제69조 제4호, 제42조 제1항 소정의 벌칙규정의 적용대상은 사업자임이 그 규정 자체에 의하여 명백하나, 한편 같은 법 제71조는 법인의 대표자 또는 법인이나 개인의 대리인, 사용인(관리감독자를 포함한다), 기타 종업원이 그 법인 또는 개인의 업무에 관하여 제67조 내지 제70조의 위반행위를 한 때에는 그 행위자를 벌하는 외에 그 법인 또는 개인에 대하여도 각 본조의 벌칙규정을 적용하도록 양벌규정을 두고있고, 이 규정의 취지는 같은 법 제67조 내지 제70조의 위반행위를 사업자인 법인이나 개인이 직접 하지 않은 경우에는 그 행위자와 사업자 쌍방을 모두처벌하려는 데에 있으므로, 이 양벌규정에 의하여 사업자가 아닌 행위자도 사업자에 대한 각 같은 법 제67조 제1호, 제69조 제4호 벌칙규정의 적용대상이된다.

【참조조문】

산업안전보건법 제67조 제1호 , 제69조 제4호 , 제71조

【참조판례】

대법원 1983.12.27. 선고 82도2840 판결(공1984,278),1991.2.26. 선고 90도2597 판결(공1991,1121),1991.11.12. 선고 91도801 판결(공1992,157)

【주문】·【이유】 전문 1,100자 · 펼쳐 보기

【피 고 인】

【상 고 인】 피고인들

【원심판결】 수원지방법원 1994.12.15. 선고 94노1347 판결

【주 문】

상고를 모두 기각한다.

【이 유】 상고이유를 본다.

산업안전보건법 제67조 제1호제23조 제1항 , , 제69조 제4호, 제42조 제1항 소정의 벌칙규정의 적용대상은 사업자임이 그 규정 자체에 의하여 명백하나, 한편 같은 법 제71조는 법인의 대표자 또는 법인이나 개인의 대리인, 사용인(관리감독자를 포함한다) 기타 종업원이 그 법인 또는 개인의 업무에 관하여 제67조 내지 제70조의 위반행위를 한 때에는 그 행위자를 벌하는 외에 그 법인 또는 개인에 대하여도 각 본조의 벌칙규정을 적용하도록 양벌규정을 두고 있고, 이 규정의 취지는 각 본조의 위반행위를 사업자인 법인이나 개인이 직접하지 않은 경우에는 그 행위자와 사업자 쌍방을 모두 처벌하려는 데에 있으므로, 이 양벌규정에 의하여 사업자가 아닌 행위자도 사업자에 대한 각 본조의 벌칙규정의 적용대상이 되는 것이다(당원 1991.11.12. 선고 91도801 판결 참조).

원심이 위와 같은 입장에서, 피고인 1이 상피고인 주식회사 의 근로자의 안전 및 보건에 관한 모든 책임을 지고 있는 대표이사로서 작업환경 측정을 실시하지 아니하고, 방호조치 등을 이행하지 아니한 사실을 인정한 다음, 위 피고인에 대하여 같은 법 제71조에 의하여 같은 법 제67조 제1호, 제69조 제4호의 벌칙규정을 적용, 처단하였음은 옳고, 거기에 소론과 같은 양벌규정에 관한 법리오해, 채증법칙 위배로 인한 사실오인 및 이유불비의 위법이 있다고 할 수 없다. 논지는 모두 이유가 없다.

이에 상고를 모두 기각하기로 관여 법관의 의견이 일치되어 주문과 같이 판결한다.

대법관 박준서(재판장) 박만호(주심) 김형선

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