President Yoon calls for improved fire safety measures in South Korea

President Yoon Suk Yeol has directed his administration to develop “scientific safety measures” in response to a deadly fire at a lithium battery factory in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea.

As reported by The Korea Herald, during a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Yoon instructed the Ministry of Interior and Safety, the Ministry of Employment and Labor, and the Ministry of Science and ICT to enhance their cooperation.

The goal is to create risk detection technologies and firefighting techniques tailored to specific chemical substances.

Yoon emphasised the need for updated safety measures, highlighting that the current advancements in firefighting technology and workplace safety have not kept pace with the growth of new industries.

Deadly factory fire in Hwaseong, South Korea

The fire occurred on June 24 at a lithium battery factory operated by Aricell in Hwaseong, resulting in the death of 23 workers, primarily foreign subcontracted laborers.

The victims, which included 12 women and five men from China, and one Laotian national, succumbed to asphyxiation as the fire spread rapidly through the facility, which housed approximately 35,000 battery cells.

This incident is noted as one of the deadliest workplace accidents in recent years, especially for foreign workers.

A preliminary police investigation revealed that the swift spread of the fire within the factory was a key factor in the high fatality rate.

In response, the government’s Central Disaster Management Headquarters announced plans to inspect around 500 lithium battery plants across the country for safety compliance.

Opposition criticism of government oversight

Representative Park Hong-bae of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea criticised President Yoon’s administration for its approach to workplace safety.

During a press briefing at the National Assembly, Park argued that the reduction in inspections of corporations’ practices, such as illegal subcontracting, by approximately 70 percent during Yoon’s tenure, has contributed to increased workplace hazards.

Park attributed the administration’s pro-business, anti-worker policy stance as a factor in the Hwaseong fire.

Park also highlighted that Aricell’s Hwaseong plant had received financial incentives for achieving high safety standards in state risk assessments over the past three years, despite claims from bereaved families that the workers lacked adequate safety training.

Calls for technological advancements in safety

President Yoon has called for the development of new fire prevention techniques specifically designed for chemical substances in batteries.

He stressed the importance of creating technologies that can pre-emptively detect fire hazards, utilising advancements such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and sensors.

These innovations are aimed at protecting lives and ensuring workplace safety.