HWASEONG - In a move to bolster industrial safety, the South Korean government will introduce new measures aimed at protecting foreign workers in the wake of a devastating fire at a battery manufacturing facility.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the plan follows a tragic incident last week where a fire killed 23 individuals, including 18 foreign nationals, at the Aricell plant in Hwaseong. The government's response includes expanding safety training and increasing workplace inspections, particularly in sectors like construction that heavily employ foreign labor. The new policies, expected to be announced in July, are being developed based on extensive surveys and consultations with workers and industry groups.
The Hwaseong disaster, which primarily claimed the lives of 17 Chinese workers and one Laotian, highlighted critical safety lapses at the lithium battery factory, located 45 kilometers south of Seoul. Workers reported a lack of safety training, which has prompted the upcoming governmental actions. "The government will reinforce support and inspections for vulnerable industrial fields that employ a large number of foreign workers," Lee stated during a meeting addressing the fire's aftermath.