A South Korean court has sentenced Park Soon-kwan, the CEO of battery manufacturer Aricell, to 15 years in prison following a deadly fire at the company’s plant in Hwaseong city. The June 2024 incident resulted in the deaths of 23 individuals, including 18 foreign workers, and left eight others injured. The court deemed the fire “an anticipated disaster,” concluding that Park and other executives were responsible for the fatalities.
This ruling constitutes the longest prison term issued under South Korea’s industrial safety laws, which mandate a minimum of one year of imprisonment or fines up to 1 billion won (approximately $717,000) for fatal workplace incidents. Prosecutors had sought a 20-year sentence, citing that modifications made to the facility hindered workers’ escape during the fire. Park’s son, who holds a senior position in the company, also received a 15-year sentence along with a fine of 1 million won.
Investigations revealed that the plant lacked proper safety measures and adequate worker training. After the fire, Park issued an apology but denied any wrongdoing related to safety protocols at the factory. At the time of the incident, the facility reportedly housed around 35,000 battery cells, primarily on the second floor where inspections and packaging took place.
Firefighters faced challenges due to the nature of lithium fires, which can react violently with water, necessitating the use of dry sand to extinguish the flames. The incident has drawn attention to workplace safety issues in South Korea, where President Lee Jae Myung has called for stronger protections for workers and increased penalties for businesses involved in fatal accidents.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yq2gqppero?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss