Hanwha Aerospace Halts Production Following Fatal Explosion
Production Suspension at Hanwha Aerospace
Photo: @MeetOurWorld/X
Seoul, June 2: Hanwha Aerospace, a subsidiary of Hanwha Group focused on defense, announced on Tuesday that it has partially ceased operations at its Daejeon facility following a tragic explosion.
According to a regulatory announcement, labor authorities mandated the suspension of activities at the site, located approximately 140 kilometers south of Seoul, due to a severe workplace incident in accordance with South Korea's occupational safety regulations.
The explosion resulted in the deaths of five individuals and left two others injured. Authorities have initiated a joint investigation to ascertain the precise cause of the incident, as reported by local news sources.
Officials from Hanwha indicated that the explosion occurred while workers were cleaning propellant powder remnants from equipment used in the production of propulsion systems.
Investigators are set to identify the ignition source and assess whether any flammable substances were present at the site during the incident.
The Daejeon facility is a crucial defense installation, classified as a secret defense factory, producing various weapon systems, including Chunmoo multiple rocket launchers and long-range surface-to-air missiles (L-SAM).
Last year, the affected production lines generated 1.32 trillion won (approximately $1 billion), representing 4.94 percent of Hanwha Aerospace's total revenue of 26.7 trillion won.
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced on Tuesday that its affiliated organizations will assist in the investigation of the recent explosion at the Hanwha Aerospace facility.
DAPA has established a task force to oversee the situation following the explosion and fire that resulted in five fatalities and two injuries.
"We will provide support for the investigation as needed, utilizing our personnel and technical expertise from the Agency for Defense Development and the Defense Agency for Technology and Quality, along with other specialized institutions to determine the cause of the accident," stated DAPA spokesperson Kim Joo-chul during a press conference.
In response to concerns regarding potential inspection failures at high-security defense facilities, Kim assured that the agency conducts annual inspections in compliance with relevant laws.