Joint inspections to cover all 42 military explosives-handling workplaces nationwide

Manufacturing, storage and testing processes all subject to review

Hanwha Aerospace's Daejeon facility in Yuseong-gu, where an explosion occurred on June 1. [Yonhap]
Hanwha Aerospace's Daejeon facility in Yuseong-gu, where an explosion occurred on June 1. [Yonhap]

The government and Hanwha Aerospace have moved simultaneously to tighten safety management in the wake of the explosion at the company's Daejeon facility. Authorities have launched a nationwide inspection of all workplaces handling military explosives, while Hanwha Aerospace has established an independent safety body led by outside experts to overhaul its safety systems.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration and the National Fire Agency said Monday they would begin joint safety inspections at 42 military explosives-handling workplaces across the country. The inspections are a follow-up to the June 1 explosion at Building 56 of Hanwha Aerospace's Daejeon facility, where workers were removing water and chemical solvents from tools used in rocket propellant production. Five people were killed and two others were injured in the blast.

Inspectors will cover all facilities within each workplace, focusing on safety management practices across the full range of military explosives handling — including manufacturing, storage and testing.

Authorities will also interview workers to determine whether explosives are being handled in spaces not officially approved for such use. Inspection items include compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Act regarding the management of flammable and explosive materials and fire and explosion prevention measures, adherence to military explosives facility standards under the Defense Acquisition Program Act, and compliance with storage and handling requirements under the Hazardous Materials Safety Management Act.

The inspections will extend beyond explosives manufacturing processes to include operations such as residual explosives cleaning — tasks where safety risks can be more easily overlooked.

If violations are found, the government will take action under relevant laws. Where regulatory improvements are needed, authorities plan to actively recommend changes and monitor whether those changes take hold on the ground.

"Handling explosives is high-risk work where even a small lapse in caution can lead to mass casualties," Employment and Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon said. "We will mobilize the full expertise of all relevant agencies to thoroughly inspect hazards at each site."


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