In a landmark ruling under South Korea’s Serious Accidents Punishment Act, the Suwon District Court has sentenced Park Soon-kwan, CEO of lithium battery manufacturer Aricell, to 15 years in prison.
The sentence follows a deadly fire at the company’s Hwaseong plant in June 2024 that claimed the lives of 23 workers, including 18 foreign nationals, and injured eight others.
The court found Park guilty of violating multiple safety regulations, including the Serious Accidents Punishment Act and the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
Prosecutors had sought a 20-year sentence, citing gross negligence and structural changes at the plant that obstructed evacuation routes during the fire.
Aricell Plant Fire Described as “Foreseeable Disaster”
The blaze, which broke out on the second floor of the facility where an estimated 35,000 lithium battery cells were stored, was described by the court as “an accident waiting to happen.”
Investigators revealed that Aricell executives had installed a false wall that blocked emergency exits, severely limiting workers’ ability to escape the fire.
The court emphasized that the fire was not an unforeseeable tragedy but a result of systemic safety failures.
“Park Soon-kwan is found to have violated his duty to ensure safety and health by failing to safely maintain evacuation exits and routes,” the court stated.
“The causal relationship between this and the deaths of the victims is acknowledged”.
Son and Executives Also Sentenced
The court sentenced Park’s son, Park Joong-eon, who served as Aricell’s general manager, to 15 years in prison and fined him 1 million won.
District court found him guilty of occupational negligence resulting in death and of violating safety laws.
The court noted that Park Soon-kwan had delegated operational control to his son but failed to provide any safety-related guidance.
Four other Aricell executives received prison terms or suspended sentences ranging from one to two years.
Authorities fined two illegal temporary worker agencies associated with the plant 30 million won each, and they fined Aricell 800 million won.
Aricell Plant Fire Victims and Families Demand Accountability
The fire, one of South Korea’s worst industrial disasters in recent years, left many victims’ bodies unrecognizable, complicating recovery efforts.
Most of the deceased were migrant workers, and their families petitioned the court for severe punishment.
At his final hearing in July, Park issued a public apology: “On that painful day, many people lost their precious family members. No words can be enough, but once again I apologise to the bereaved families”.
Implications for Industrial Safety Enforcement
This case marks the most severe punishment handed down under the Serious Accidents Punishment Act, which came into effect in 2022.
The law mandates prison terms of at least one year or fines up to 1 billion won for CEOs and owners found responsible for fatal workplace incidents.
The court expects the ruling to set a precedent for corporate accountability in South Korea’s industrial sector, particularly in high-risk industries such as battery manufacturing.
President Lee Jae Myung previously stated that the government needs to enforce regulations more strongly to protect workers, and this case may prompt it to accelerate regulatory reforms.
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