Hanwha Aerospace blast raises accountability questions as factory's third major explosion in 8 years kills 5

Labor authorities and investigators are conducting a sweeping probe into the Hanwha Aerospace factory explosion in Daejeon that killed five workers, examining potential violations of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act and the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Calls for accountability are growing as the blast marks the third major explosion at the same facility in eight years, following deadly incidents in 2018 and 2019.

The explosion struck the Hanwha Aerospace plant in Oesamdong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, on Monday, killing five workers and injuring two, according to the Ministry of Employment and Labor and police. The ministry immediately issued a work-suspension order and launched a joint investigation with police and fire authorities into possible violations of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act and the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

The blast is the third major explosion at the Daejeon factory. An earlier explosion in 2018 killed five workers, and another in 2019 claimed three lives. Both previous incidents reportedly occurred during rocket propellant and explosive-handling processes.

Under the Serious Accidents Punishment Act, a business owner or executive manager found to have failed to fulfill safety and health obligations after a fatal industrial accident faces a prison term of at least one year or a fine of up to 1 billion won (approximately $662,000). A separate fine of up to 5 billion won may also be imposed on the corporation.

However, analysts say the act's enhanced-penalty provision — which allows for heavier sentencing when a similar accident recurs within five years of a prior conviction — is unlikely to apply in this case. The provision requires that a sentence be finalized for the same offense before a similar violation occurs within five years. Both of Hanwha Aerospace's previous explosions predated the act's enforcement, which began in 2022, and the most recent prior accident occurred in 2019 — more than seven years ago — meaning the five-year recidivism threshold is not met, the ministry said.

"In Hanwha Aerospace's case, the last accident occurred more than five years ago, making it difficult to apply the enhanced-penalty provision under the Serious Accidents Punishment Act," a ministry official said. "However, the company's prior accident history could be taken into account during the prosecution's indictment process or by the court at sentencing."

Hanwha officials were indicted on charges of violating the Occupational Safety and Health Act and occupational negligence causing death following the 2018 and 2019 accidents, but most received suspended sentences. The corporation itself was fined only tens of millions of won in each case.

Labor groups say the repeated accidents show that past penalties lacked real deterrent effect, and are calling for a rigorous investigation. They also argue that the recurrence of fatal accidents in similar explosive and propellant-related processes points to the need for a comprehensive review of the company's overall safety management systems.

The investigation is expected to center on determining the cause of the accident and whether executive management fulfilled its obligations to ensure worker safety and health. The Serious Accidents Punishment Act extends criminal liability beyond on-site supervisors to senior executives.

Unlike the previous explosions, this accident reportedly occurred during a cleaning process rather than rocket propellant manufacturing, meaning the precise scope of liability will likely depend on the investigation's findings.

"We are currently investigating with all possibilities open," a ministry official said. "We are closely examining whether the business owner and executive management faithfully carried out their safety and health obligations, and whether there are any violations of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act or the Occupational Safety and Health Act."