Seoul, June 2: Hanwha Aerospace, a defense subsidiary of Hanwha Group, announced on Tuesday that it has partially halted production at its Daejeon plant following a deadly explosion.
The company reported in a regulatory filing that South Korean labor authorities ordered the suspension of operations at the facility. This incident is being regarded as a serious workplace accident.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the plant is located approximately 140 kilometers south of Daejeon. The explosion resulted in the deaths of five individuals and left two others injured. Police have formed a joint investigation team to look into the incident, with efforts underway to determine the exact cause of the explosion.
Company officials stated that at the time of the accident, employees were cleaning tools that had remnants of propellant powder, a flammable substance similar to rocket fuel. This material is used in rocket and missile systems.
Investigators are now working to ascertain how the fire or explosion began and whether any flammable materials were stored safely.
The Daejeon plant is a crucial defense center and has been designated as a “secret defense factory.” It manufactures various weapons, including the Chunmoo multiple rocket launcher and long-range surface-to-air missiles (L-SAM).
According to the company, the affected production line generated approximately 1.32 trillion won (around $870 million) in revenue last year, accounting for about 4.94 percent of the company’s total earnings.
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) of South Korea announced on Tuesday that it would provide technical assistance to its affiliated institutions to aid in the investigation of the explosion.
DAPA also stated that it has established a task force to manage the situation following the explosion and fire incident on Monday.
DAPA spokesperson Kim Joo-chul mentioned in a press briefing that they will utilize their experts and technical resources in the investigation if necessary. This includes specialized institutions such as the Agency for Defense Development and the Defense Agency for Technology and Quality.
He added that concerns regarding inspections at high-security defense industry factories are addressed through regular checks conducted under relevant laws each year.
Leave a Comment