"Isn't it the very inertia and complacency you speak of that drove our workers into the fires of hell?"
At around 10 a.m. Friday at the funeral hall of Daejeon Yousei Sun Hospital, the mortuary rooms for the victims of the Hanwha Aerospace Daejeon plant explosion had not yet been set up, and only silence hung over the building. After their loved ones were finally returned following DNA analysis by the National Forensic Service, the bereaved families had no time to grieve. They moved between rooms and corridors confirming funeral arrangements, while some clutched their phones and struggled to deliver the tragic news to relatives. Some families could not finish their sentences, wiping away tears or bowing their heads.
Scattered inside and outside the funeral hall, the families discussed body release procedures and funeral schedules with company representatives. Hanwha Aerospace CEO Sohn Jae-il and Daejeon Plant Manager Ka Jae-woong visited the site that day. Sohn met with the families twice, at 9:30 a.m. and 10:40 a.m. Citing the repeated explosion accidents at the Daejeon plant in the past, the families pressed the company on whether safety management measures had been properly implemented. They also demanded an investigation into the cause of the accident, punishment of those responsible, and measures to prevent recurrence.
During the meetings, the families strongly rebuked the company for its management failures. Some families gave vent to their anger, saying, "Weren't our workers driven into a dangerous workplace because of inertia and complacency?" Sohn listened to the families' words and rose from his seat several times to bow deeply. Repeating the word "sorry," he expressed his commitment to doing his utmost in handling the aftermath and providing support. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Sohn said, "We will do our best to deal with the aftermath of the accident," adding, "We cannot fully fathom the families' grief, but we will try to ease it even a little."
However, discussions on funeral arrangements have not been concluded. The families and the company are continuing talks over the funeral format and the scope of support, and as of Friday morning, mortuary rooms had not been formally set up. A Hanwha Aerospace official explained that the company is consulting on funeral procedures with the families' wishes as the top priority.
The Daejeon Yuseong-gu Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters is also stepping up support for the bereaved. While proceeding with the selection of family representatives, it is also reviewing plans to set up a joint memorial altar. One-on-one dedicated officials have been assigned to support the families, and a disaster victim support center is also in operation. The Korean Red Cross plans to set up a Disaster Psychological Recovery Support Center booth at the funeral hall to provide psychological counseling to the families and acquaintances.
The accident occurred at around 10:59 a.m. on the 1st of this month at Hanwha Aerospace's Daejeon plant. An explosion took place while workers were cleaning tools used in manufacturing rocket propellants, killing five workers. At the same plant, five workers were killed in an explosion in May 2018, and three more workers died in February 2019 in an explosion at a propellant demolding chamber. Including the latest accident, 13 workers have been killed in explosion accidents at the same plant over eight years. Labor authorities and police are investigating possible violations of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act and the locus of responsibility for safety management.
