Anadolu staff
02 June 2026•Update: 02 June 2026
South Korean authorities on Tuesday launched a joint inspection of a Hanwha Aerospace facility following an explosion that killed five workers and injured two others a day earlier, according to local media reports.
The blast occurred at the defense company's factory in Daejeon, about 140 kilometers (87 miles) south of Seoul, Yonhap News Agency reported.
Police, fire officials, forensic experts, labor ministry representatives, and safety agency personnel are investigating the cause of the explosion, including whether flammable materials were present at the site.
Hanwha officials said workers were cleaning propellant powder residue from tools used in producing propulsion systems when the incident occurred.
Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon pledged a thorough investigation, while police said the damaged building was not at risk of collapse.
On Monday, at least five people were killed and two others injured in an explosion at a facility operated by Hanwha Aerospace in central South Korea.
The company facility, which develops large propulsion engines and tactical surface-to-surface weapon systems, has seen several explosions in recent years.
In 2018, an explosion at the factory killed five people. The following year, another explosion took place, killing three workers.
