Five Killed in Explosion at Hanwha Aerospace Factory in Daejeon

Five people were killed Monday while two others were injured following an explosion at a Hanwha Aerospace factory in the central city of Daejeon, officials said.

Fire authorities received a report of the explosion at the defense company's factory at 10:59 a.m., mobilizing some 100 personnel to put out a blaze at the site, according to the fire and police officials.

The explosion left five people dead and two people hurt -- one with full-body burns and the other with minor injuries. The late victims were all found dead at the site. Two were contract employees in their 20s, while the others were permanent employees, with two in their 50s and one 30-something-year-old.

Hanwha Group issued an apology to the victims, the bereaved families, local residents and the nation, pledging to show proper respect to the deceased and fully support the recovery of the injured.

Group Chairman Kim Seung-youn said in a statement that he is "overwhelmed with grief." He offered his condolences to the victims' families and instructed the company to swiftly handle the aftermath, including by forming a task force.

The explosion is suspected to have occurred as workers at the site were conducting cleaning work.

"Various tools are used in the process of producing rocket propellant, and it appears that the explosion occurred while cleaning the propellant residue (left on the tools)," a company official said during a press briefing.

Firefighters fully extinguished the blaze at 1:07 p.m., with authorities planning to investigate the exact cause of the blaze.

The Daejeon District Prosecutors Office said it formed a dedicated investigation team to determine the cause and identify those responsible.

The Daejeon Metropolitan Police said it also plans to launch a dedicated investigation team.

It marked the latest deadly explosion at the company facility, which develops large propulsion engines and tactical surface-to-surface weapon systems.

In 2018, an explosion at the factory killed five people. It was hit by another explosion the following year, which left three workers dead.

"Following the 2018 and 2019 accidents, we invested a large amount in automating and systematizing the relevant process, but the process involved in today's accident was not something we initially perceived as posing a great risk," the official said.

The blaze destroyed a one-story, 544-square-meter building that officials said was too small to be included in a list of facilities required by firefighting authorities to undergo regular safety checks.

Shortly after the explosion, President Lee Jae Myung called for all-out rescue efforts, while ordering a thorough investigation into the cause and measures to prevent a recurrence.