South Korea arrests battery maker CEO over fire that killed 23
Al Jazeera
Aricell CEO Park Soon-kwan arrested over alleged violations of industrial safety law.
The head of a South Korean lithium battery maker has been arrested over alleged violations of industrial safety law following a factory fire that killed 23 people.
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 deaths of 23 people” by employing unskilled contract workers to handle materials that posed a serious fire risk.
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.
