4-yr prison term finalized for battery maker Aricell CEO over deadly plant fire

The Supreme Court upheld a four-year prison sentence for Park Soon-kwan, CEO of lithium battery manufacturer Aricell, following a factory fire that claimed the lives of 23 workers, primarily foreigners, over two years ago. The court dismissed both prosecutors' and defendants' appeals, confirming an appellate ruling that had sentenced Park's son, Park Joong-un, a key company executive, to seven years in prison along with a fine of 1 million won ($750). Additionally, the court maintained an 800 million won fine against Aricell itself.

The catastrophic blaze occurred at Aricell's factory in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province on June 24, 2024. The tragedy resulted in 17 Chinese nationals, one Lao national, and five Koreans losing their lives. Nine others sustained injuries. The fire ignited on the second floor of Building No. 3, where employees were responsible for inspecting and packaging completed batteries. The fire rapidly escalated as the batteries exploded.

Park Soon-kwan was charged with breaching his statutory safety obligations. These included conducting thorough risk assessments and establishing protocols for managing serious accidents. The Supreme Court affirmed the lower court's decision that the CEO had failed in his duty to ensure workplace safety.