Hanwha Aerospace Plant Sees 13 Deaths in 8 Years Amid Safety Lapses

A recent explosion at Hanwha Aerospace's Daejeon plant claimed the lives of five workers on July 1. This incident marks a grim milestone, bringing the total fatalities at the facility to 13 over the past eight years, all linked to fuel-related operations. The plant has a history of similar tragedies, including a 2018 explosion that killed five and another in 2019 where three workers died during fuel removal.

The recurring accidents point to a persistent issue of safety negligence at Hanwha Aerospace. Following the 2018 incident, a special inspection by the Labor Ministry uncovered 486 violations of the Industrial Safety Act. The following year, another 82 violations were identified. After the 2019 explosion, a work-stoppage order was issued for the entire plant. Hanwha requested the order be lifted for non-explosive sectors, but the request was denied due to "unimproved" safety measures and the "non-submission" of fire and explosion risk assessments.

Despite these repeated warnings and failures to comply with safety regulations, the company's inadequate response continued. After five rounds of supplementary submissions, the safety concerns remained unaddressed, ultimately leading to the latest fatal incident. The pattern of negligence and disregard for safety protocols has resulted in a tragic loss of life, raising serious questions about the company's commitment to worker safety.