Seoul to Conduct Emergency Inspections of Chemical Handling Facilities... Criminal Charges for Non-Compliance

Inspections of Handling Facilities Following Consecutive Accidents at Hanwha and SK
83.8% of Accidents from 2014 to 2025 Caused by Non-Compliance with Safety Standards
Comprehensive On-Site Checks from Chemical Handling and Storage to Overall Safety Management

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on June 14 that it will conduct emergency safety inspections of hazardous chemical handling facilities within the city. This preventive measure comes in response to the recent explosion accident at the Hanwha Aerospace Daejeon Plant and the toxic gas leak incident at the SK hynix Cheongju plant, both of which occurred in quick succession.

According to statistics from the Chemical Information Comprehensive System, there were a total of 31 chemical-related accidents in Seoul over the 12-year period from 2014 to 2025. Of these, 26 cases (83.8%) were due to non-compliance with safety standards. By accident type, leaks accounted for the highest number at 21 cases (67.7%), followed by explosions with 4 cases (12.9%).

Hanwha Aerospace Daejeon plant where the explosion accident occurred. Photo by Yonhap News

The city explained that since more than 8 out of every 10 accidents were caused by failure to observe safety standards, adhering to basic safety rules alone could prevent a significant number of incidents.

To preemptively eliminate risk factors in the handling of hazardous chemicals, the city plans to select a sample from among 102 businesses that operate facilities with a high potential for large-scale damage in the event of an accident and conduct on-site inspections of their safety management practices. In accordance with relevant laws, the city notified the facilities subject to inspection of the emergency safety inspection plan in advance on June 12. On-site inspections will be conducted from June 29 until mid-July, focusing on verifying the overall on-site safety management—from chemical handling and storage to worker protection measures and compliance with statutory inspections.

The main inspection items include: ▲whether hazardous chemical handling standards are being observed, ▲whether personal protective equipment is worn and ventilation devices are functioning, ▲whether statutory inspections and self-checks are being conducted, and ▲whether safety training has been completed by managers, among others. The inspection will involve Seoul Metropolitan Government safety inspectors and experts from the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency, and fire safety experts may accompany the team if necessary.

The purpose is also to check and guide compliance with relevant laws such as the Chemical Substances Control Act, the Hazardous Materials Safety Control Act, and the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Minor issues identified during the inspections will be corrected immediately on-site. If businesses encounter any difficulties or make requests, the city will provide guidance on law compliance and offer tailored safety consulting as support.

On the other hand, if serious violations are discovered—such as illegal storage of hazardous chemicals without proper authorization—the city will immediately control the site and notify relevant authorities, including the local fire station and the Han River Basin Environmental Office, to request administrative and judicial action. If necessary, the city will also issue safety orders in accordance with the Framework Act on the Management of Disasters and Safety, directing owners and managers to eliminate risk factors and repair or reinforce facilities; if these orders are not followed, the city will take strict follow-up actions, including criminal complaints.

Through this emergency safety inspection, the Seoul Metropolitan Government intends to review the safety management status of hazardous chemical handling facilities, identify and address on-site risk factors in advance, and prevent major accidents such as chemical leaks and explosions. Han Byungyong, Director of Disaster and Safety at the Seoul Metropolitan Government, stated, "The recent chemical accidents have shown that minor negligence and failure to follow safety rules at worksites can lead to major disasters," adding, "We will do our utmost to protect the safety of both citizens and workers through thorough inspections and proactive safety management of hazardous chemical handling facilities."

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