Labor authorities enter the front gate of Hanwha Aerospace’s Daejeon plant in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, which is under access control following an explosion at the site on the 1st. /Yonhap News
Hanwha Group (000880.KS) and Hanwha Aerospace (012450.KS) issued an apology over an explosion at their Daejeon plant on Tuesday, pledging to manage the aftermath and prevent a recurrence.
In a statement Tuesday, Hanwha Group and Hanwha Aerospace expressed condolences to the victims, saying, “We are deeply saddened and heartbroken that five precious employees lost their lives in the accident that occurred this morning.” They added, “We pray for the souls of the deceased employees and offer our sincere condolences to the bereaved families.”
The companies also stressed, “We pray for the swift recovery of the employees injured in the accident and will spare no support for their treatment,” adding, “We bow our heads in apology to the people of the nation.”
Hanwha Aerospace said it convened an emergency meeting at its Seoul headquarters chaired by CEO Son Jae-il immediately after the accident. Son headed straight to the accident site after the meeting.
The company said it has set up a response headquarters at the site and is working closely with fire, police and other relevant authorities to manage the situation.
“The specific circumstances and extent of the damage are still being verified,” Hanwha Group and Hanwha Aerospace said. “We will thoroughly investigate the cause of the accident to ensure that such a tragic incident never happens again.”
The companies added, “Once again, we bow our heads and offer our deepest apologies to the people of the nation.”
The explosion occurred at around 10:59 a.m. at Hanwha Aerospace’s Daejeon plant, which handles the development of large propulsion systems, propellant mixing and charging, and tactical surface-to-surface systems. According to police and fire authorities, five people were killed, one suffered critical full-body burns, and one sustained minor injuries, bringing the total casualties to seven.