Hanwha blast victims tagged '1,' '2,' '3' as severe body damage delays IDs; two were new hires who joined 3 months ago

Identifying the five people killed in the explosion at Hanwha Aerospace's Daejeon plant has proven difficult, leaving funeral parlors at two Daejeon hospitals — where the bodies are being held — unable to set up proper memorial spaces. A somber silence has settled over the facilities amid the emerging stories of the victims.

According to police and Yonhap News Agency, rescue workers recovered the bodies from the scene and transferred them to two hospitals: Yuseong Sun Hospital in Yuseong-gu, which received three bodies, and Chungnam National University Hospital in Jung-gu, which received two.

At Sun Hospital's funeral parlor, the display board lists temporary numbers — "No. 1," "No. 2," "No. 3" — in place of the victims' names. The powerful blast, followed by a fire, left the bodies so severely damaged that identification has not been possible. The two bodies at Chungnam National University Hospital are similarly listed as unknown.

Even without formal memorial spaces in place, bereaved family members have been making their way to the hospitals. One relative arrived Monday morning and, in tears, asked staff when a memorial space might be ready.

Two of the dead were in their 20s and had joined the company together roughly three months ago, deepening the grief surrounding the tragedy.

Hanwha Aerospace's Daejeon plant confirmed that the two employees in their 20s had started work on Feb. 26. The company also said one of the other victims had worked at the facility for nearly 20 years, while the two victims in their 50s had rotated through various workrooms handling different types of explosives.

A Hanwha Aerospace employee told Yonhap that the victims were all familiar faces around the workplace. "We all knew each other from working at the same company," the employee said. "I feel a heavy heart over the loss of so many lives."

Bereaved families are waiting either near the hospitals or at a location provided by the company. Red Cross workers have been stationed inside the hospitals since Monday morning to provide psychological counseling and other support to the family of the critically injured survivor.

Treatment of the injured is ongoing. A worker in their 20s who suffered second- and third-degree burns across their entire body was transferred to a burn specialist hospital in Daejeon on Sunday and has been receiving intensive care in the ICU for nearly 24 hours.

Medical staff at the hospital were seen moving urgently in and out of the unit throughout Monday morning. The patient underwent several emergency surgeries shortly after admission and was in critical condition, requiring an oxygen respirator.

The explosion occurred at 10:59 a.m. Monday in the washing room of Building 56 at Hanwha Aerospace's Daejeon plant in Oesamdong, Yuseong-gu. Of the seven people present at the time, five were killed and a fire broke out in the aftermath.

At a joint briefing, police and Hanwha Aerospace said the five dead included two people in their 50s, one in their 30s and two in their 20s, with the two younger victims identified as contract workers.

Police and the National Forensic Service launched DNA analysis to identify the victims, cross-referencing genetic samples taken from the bodies against those provided by family members. Autopsies were also conducted Monday afternoon.

A police official said Monday that identification results are expected as early as Wednesday morning.