Five killed in Hanwha Aerospace blast

Five workers were killed and two others injured Sunday in an explosion at Hanwha Aerospace’s Daejeon facility, a key South Korean defense production site. Police have formed a special investigative team to determine the cause of the accident.

The explosion occurred at about 10:59 a.m., according to police and fire authorities. Workers were carrying out cleaning operations on tools and equipment used in rocket propulsion manufacturing inside Building 56 when a blast erupted for reasons that remain unclear. The explosion sparked a fire, prompting officials to issue a Level 1 emergency response at 11:17 a.m. More than 100 firefighters and over 30 vehicles were deployed. The blaze was largely contained within about 50 minutes and fully extinguished by 1:07 p.m. Building 56, a single-story structure covering 544 square meters, was destroyed. Authorities said the building was divided into three separate work zones.

Once the fire was brought under control, rescue crews discovered five workers dead near a cleaning room inside Building 56. Fire officials said all five victims were found in the same area. Two co-workers who had been working nearby managed to evacuate on their own after the explosion. One suffered severe burns across much of the body, while the other sustained minor burns to the neck. The dead included two workers in their 50s, one in his 30s and two in their 20s. Some were contract employees. Although the workers had been wearing flame-resistant protective clothing, authorities said the blast and ensuing fire caused extensive damage to the bodies. Police are continuing efforts to confirm the victims’ identities.

The Hanwha Aerospace complex in Daejeon plays a central role in the development and production of South Korea’s rocket and guided-missile propulsion systems. The site covers roughly 350,000 square meters and is designated a national security facility, meaning details such as building locations and layouts are not publicly released.

Police and fire officials plan to conduct a joint forensic inspection to establish exactly what caused the explosion. The Daejeon facility has experienced fatal explosions before. Accidents in 2018 and 2019 claimed eight lives in total. Son Jae-il, chief executive officer of Hanwha Aerospace, visited the site later in the day and expressed regret over the tragedy.

“We feel a heavy responsibility for this accident,” Son said. “We will fully cooperate with the authorities to ensure the cause is clearly identified.”

President Lee Jae-myung ordered officials to mobilize all available resources for rescue and recovery operations immediately after the accident. He also instructed authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and draw up measures to prevent similar incidents from recurring.


Kim Tae Young live@donga.com