psithe company Nation P is currently under fire for the death of an unidentified Mongolian worker during the “Summer Swag” festival. The Department of Labor raided Nation P’s office on August 25 to investigate the matter.
The accident happened on July 30, when the worker in his 20s died while dismantling the set after Psy’s concert in Gangneung City. Speculation has it that he was not provided with the necessary safety equipment when working in bad weather.
If the speculations are true, then Nation P violated the Occupational Safety and Health Act, which states that outdoor work must be suspended in the event of unstable weather conditions. In addition, the company may also be guilty of violating another law that governs industrial actions that occur during disasters.
According to the statement from the Ministry of Employment and Labor, its branch in Gangwon Province sent its staff to P Nation’s office in southern Seoul as well as several contractor offices to search for evidence.
At the time of the worker’s death, Nation P released a statement expressing condolences to his family and confirming it was a sudden accident. The company also assured that it would help the family of the worker to organize his funeral.
We will do our best to establish measures to prevent another accident like this from happening, with a sense of responsibility.
—P-Nation
But soon after, the Department of Labor issued a search and seizure warrant against the company for violating industry safety laws. Although Psy controls more than 60% of Nation P, there is another unidentified person who actually runs the company. So if the charges are proven, Psi likely won’t face any legal consequences.
This isn’t the first time Psy’s “Summer Swag” festival has come under serious criticism. Earlier, South Korean audiences expressed disapproval of the festival which used large amounts of water to drench the audience as the country faced its worst drought this year. In July, it also came under scrutiny by disaster and security countermeasures headquarters after more and more spectators tested positive for COVID. Already in early August, the festival was reprimanded by the city of Yeosu for leaving the local stadium “severely damaged”.