Hanwha Vice Chairman Kim Dong-kwan May Face Charges Over Daejeon Explosion

Labor authorities and police are considering whether to book Hanwha Group Vice Chairman Kim Dong-kwan under the Serious Accidents Punishment Act over the June 1 explosion at Hanwha Aerospace's Daejeon plant that killed five workers. So far, CEO Son Jae-il and two plant executives have been booked. The Daejeon Metropolitan Police and Regional Employment and Labor Office have not ruled out naming Kim — who heads Hanwha Aerospace's strategy division — as a suspect if seized documents and witness accounts establish his connection. Investigators have conducted three forensic examinations, analyzed over 5,700 documents and files, and questioned 32 people. The investigation was described as a 'cleaning machine' incident involving explosive residue from rocket propellant manufacturing tools.