Jeju Island Faces Rising Agricultural Machinery Accidents, Safety Measures Intensified

Jeju Island is experiencing a concerning increase in safety accidents involving agricultural machinery, particularly shredders and electric pruning shears. Authorities are responding with enhanced safety training and awareness campaigns to protect farmers during peak pruning season.

Accident Statistics and Severity

According to the Jeju Fire and Safety Headquarters, there were 159 safety accidents related to agricultural machinery over the three-year period from 2023 to 2025. This breaks down to 67 accidents involving shredders and 92 involving electric scissors. The number of incidents is rising annually: 42 cases in 2023, 53 in 2024, and 64 in 2025.

Shredder accidents are particularly severe, with some resulting in fatalities. In April 2024, a farmer in his 70s in Seogwipo-si died after being crushed by a shredder. Earlier in 2025, a woman in her 60s suffered a serious arm injury from a shredder in Namwon-eup, Seogwipo-si, requiring emergency transport by helicopter for medical attention. Over a three-day period (March 7th-9th, 2025), eleven injuries occurred during pruning work, including five cases of finger amputation or injury from electric scissors and one torn palm.

Safety Initiatives and Training

The Jeju Island Agricultural Research and Extension Services is actively working to prevent accidents through safety campaigns focused on shredders and electric scissors. Training sessions emphasize proper usage, the importance of protective gear, and maintaining concentration through adequate rest.

Jin Jin-hyeop, an instructor at the Jeju Provincial Agricultural and Welfare Center, stresses the need for adherence to basic safety rules, including working with at least two people and preparing for emergencies. Specific recommendations include:

• Preliminary inspection of blades and handles
• Wearing properly fitted safety gloves
• Maintaining a safe distance between hands and the cutting area
• Working on stable surfaces
• Turning off power to electric scissors after use

Instructor Jin also advises operators to use only one hand on the electric scissors and to maintain constant visual focus on the cutting area.

Emergency Response and Awareness

In response to the increasing number of incidents, the Jeju Fire and Safety Headquarters issued an advisory regarding the use of electric scissors on March 12th, 2025, following a previous advisory on shredder use issued on February 28th, 2025.

The Seogwipo Fire Department conducted specialized rescue training on March 10th, 2025, in collaboration with agricultural machinery manufacturers and sales companies, to enhance the preparedness of rescue workers for shredder-related accidents.

National Data Collection Concerns

A challenge identified is the lack of nationwide, specific data collection for shredder and electric scissor accidents. A National Fire Agency official noted that these incidents are currently categorized under broader “agricultural machinery accidents,” hindering accurate tracking and analysis.