Global·NewlyNewsKR

Lee flags repeated Hanwha plant explosions as 'serious problem,' orders prevention measures

KR · · Korea Times

President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday said the repeated occurrence of the same type of accident at the same facility is a serious problem, referring to the explosion and fire at a Hanwha Aerospace plant in Daejeon that killed five workers and injured two others the previous day. “Relevant authorities must thoroughly investigate the cause of the accident and take all necessary measures to prevent a recurrence,” Lee said at a Cabinet meeting, ordering officials to compile a list of workplaces where the same type of accident has repeatedly occurred. The Daejeon plant has seen similar explosions before, with incidents in 2018 and 2019 killing five and three workers, respectively. The explosion of undetermined cause occurred Monday when seven workers were conducting cleaning operations to remove explosive residue from tools used in the manufacturing process of rocket propellant, according to an executive at Hanwha Aerospace, a defense affiliate under Hanwha Group. The five died at the scene, where a fire broke out, while the two injured workers managed to escape on their own. The plant is th