South Korea Arrests Battery CEO After Fire Kills 23
Following a factory fire that killed 23 people, the head of a South Korean lithium battery maker has been arrested for alleged violations of industrial safety law.
According to a court spokesperson, the Suwon District Court issued a warrant for the arrest of Aricell CEO, Park Soon-kwan, over his role in the June blaze which occured yesterday.
A warrant was also issued by the court for Park’s son, who is an executive at Aricell.
South Korea’s Ministry of Employment and Labor said Park had been arrested on charges of “causing the deaths of 23 people” by employing unskilled contract workers to handle materials that posed a serious fire risk.
This is the first time that a company head has been held responsible under the legislation introduced in 2022 to penalise management for industrial accidents.
The Serious Disasters Punishment Act carries penalties of one year in prison or one billion won ($835,000) in fines for business owners and management for accidents that cause death or serious injury.
Police reported last week that a fire broke out at a factory in Hwaseong, approximately 45km south of Seoul, as the company hurried to meet a deadline without addressing significant quality issues.
South Korea has a longstanding history of fatal incidents linked to companies cutting corners.
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In 2014, 476 people, including 325 high school students, lost their lives when the Sewol ferry capsized after modifications were made to increase its cargo capacity.
Similarly, in 1995, over 500 people died when the Sampoong Department Store collapsed, with subsequent investigations revealing that the building lacked sufficient support columns.
