President Lee Jae Myung has ordered a thorough investigation and possible punitive measures against POSCO E&C after a string of fatal accidents at the company’s worksites.

Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung disclosed during a press briefing on Wednesday that Lee instructed officials to rigorously examine whether POSCO E&C complied with safety protocols and whether recent serious accidents at its construction sites could have been prevented.

The president also ordered relevant ministry officials to explore all available legal measures, including revocation of the company’s construction licenses and bans on public bidding projects.

Lee called on his aides to review and report possible additional sanctions, such as punitive compensation, to prevent such industrial accidents from recurring.

POSCO E&C has been under mounting scrutiny, with four fatalities reported this year alone as well as the latest accident involving a Myanmar national who remains unconscious after he was critically injured at an expressway construction site in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi Province, Monday.

The company’s president, Jeong Hee-min, tendered his resignation a day later to take responsibility for the safety management failures.