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Hanwha Aerospace CEO Son Jae-il announced a comprehensive overhaul of safety systems at the Daejeon plant, where an explosion killed five workers. He said the company will rebuild an on-site disaster-prevention system from the ground up to break an unprecedented cycle of recurring tragedies, and he repeatedly bowed in apology.
On June 2, industry sources said Son posted on the company intranet: “We have come to the grave realization that even a moment’s complacency is unacceptable.” He vowed sweeping reforms, calling for an end to superficial fixes and pledging to build an effective response network that delivers immediate results at the worksite. He urged all employees to help create a zero-defect workplace.
Son also called for a transparent, thorough investigation. He urged employees to cooperate fully with authorities so the cause can be determined without a shadow of doubt. Based on external forensic findings, he said the company will reassess its risk-management capabilities from the ground up, signaling a period of hard introspection.
As CEO, Son said he bears ultimate responsibility for supporting the victims. He pledged the company will provide full support to the families of those who died and commit all available resources to the recovery of the injured.
Around 11 a.m. on June 1, a large, unexplained explosion and fire broke out on the first floor of Hanwha Aerospace’s Daejeon plant in Yuseong District. The blast killed five on-site workers and left two others with burns.
This is the third major casualty incident at the plant. An explosion in May 2018 killed five people, and another blast in a propellant-related chamber in February 2019 — nine months later — killed three. Son went straight to the scene after the latest disaster, established an emergency response headquarters and has been leading recovery efforts.
Reporter Cheon Won-gi 1000@viva100.com
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