Labor Office Imposes 127 Million Won Fine on Anjeon Industrial After Fire That Left 73 Dead or Injured

As a result of an emergency industrial safety labor inspection at the Daehwa plant, which was deemed to have risks similar to those at the Munpyeong plant of Anjeon Industrial Co., Ltd. in Daedeok District, Daejeon, where a major fire disaster occurred in March, the labor authorities imposed 32 criminal charges and administrative fines totaling 127 million won.

According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor on May 12, the Daejeon Regional Employment and Labor Office took these actions after conducting an emergency inspection of the Daehwa plant, following the fire on March 20 at Anjeon Industrial’s Munpyeong plant, which resulted in 14 deaths and 59 injuries, for a total of 73 casualties.

The inspection found numerous violations throughout the overall occupational safety and health management system, including failure to submit industrial accident investigation reports, perfunctory safety training, lack of safety and health signage, and failure of supervisors to fulfill their duties. Seven cases of not submitting industrial accident investigation reports over the past five years were also identified.

Cutting fluids and oil mist were constantly present on the workshop floor, and grease had accumulated on the ceiling, walls, and equipment. Management of worker safety passages and emergency exits was insufficient, and ladder-type passages were found to be installed in non-compliance with regulations.

There were also multiple violations of machinery and equipment safety measures, such as failure to install guards on rotating parts, inadequate press safety devices, and missing crane hook safety latches. Posting and training regarding material safety data sheets (MSDS) for hazardous chemicals were not properly carried out, and preventive measures for fire and explosion—such as management of flammable liquid vapor emissions and storage of oil-soaked rags—were also found to be lacking.

On March 24, firefighters began the second day of inspection at Anjeon Industrial Co., an auto parts manufacturing company located in Daedeok-gu, Daejeon. Authorities are entering the fire-damaged building. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

In particular, local exhaust hoods were not installed on equipment that generated oil mist and vapor, and management of hazardous material handling facilities and special health checkups were also found to be inadequate.

The labor office determined that there were structural issues causing vapor and oil mist to accumulate, due to low ceiling heights, narrow gaps between equipment, and insufficient dust collection capacity. The authorities called for comprehensive improvements to the work environment, replacement of outdated equipment, and securing evacuation routes in case of fire. They also pointed out that workplace safety management was handled through outsourcing and by combining it with production management departments, resulting in a lack of dedicated safety personnel and a formalistic approach to risk assessments.

Ma Seonggyun, head of the Daejeon Regional Employment and Labor Office, stated, "This situation reveals the comprehensive consequences of production-centered management and a lack of attention to safety management," and added, "This should serve as an opportunity to overhaul safety management standards in the materials, parts, and equipment industries."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.