The head of a South Korean lithium battery maker has been arrested over alleged violations of industrial safety law following a factory fire that consumed 23 individuals.
Suwon District Court approved a warrant to arrest Aricell CEO Park Soon-kwan over his role in the June blaze late on Wednesday, a court spokesperson said.
The court also issued a warrant for Park’s son, who is an executive at Aricell, the spokesperson said.
South Korea’s Ministry of Employment and Labor said Park had been arrested on charges of “causing the demise of 23 people” by employing unskilled contract workers to handle materials that posed a serious fire risk.
Punishment for fire incident
Park’s arrest marks the first time that a company head has been held responsible under legislation introduced in 2022 to penalise management for industrial accidents.
The Serious Disasters Punishment Act carries penalties of one year in prison or one billion won ($835,000) in fines for business owners and management for accidents that cause death or serious injury.
Police said last week that the fire at the factory in Hwaseong, about 45km south of Seoul, broke out as the company raced to meet a deadline without taking steps to address signs of serious quality failures.
South Korea has a long history of deadly incidents blamed on companies cutting corners.
In 2014, 476 people, including 325 high school students, perished when the Sewol ferry capsized following modifications to the vessel to increase its cargo capacity.
In 1995, more than 500 individuals perished following the collapse of the Sampoong Department Store, which subsequent investigations revealed had been built without sufficient support columns.
