Regarding the accident that occurred on the 1st at Hanwha Aerospace's Daejeon plant, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said on the 2nd that it has formed a task force (TF) to handle the aftermath and draw up follow-up measures.
Kim Joo-cheol, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration Spokesperson, said at a Ministry of National Defense regular briefing that morning, "We have formed a 'safety accident response TF' headed by the Vice Administrator of DAPA and are managing the situation," adding, "We will actively cooperate to deal with the aftermath of the accident." DAPA plans to support the government's investigation activities by mobilizing personnel from specialized institutions, including not only the Defense Industry Promotion Bureau within the agency but also the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) and the Defense Agency for Technology and Quality (DTaQ).
Ahn Gyu-baek, Minister of the Ministry of National Defense, said on social media the previous day, "Together with DAPA, we will spare no technical support for the investigation into the cause of the accident," and "We will also actively cooperate in establishing safety measures for members of defense industry companies so that this tragedy is never repeated."
At about 10:59 a.m. the previous day, an explosion occurred in the washing room of Building 56 at the Daejeon plant, killing five workers and injuring two. Building 56, a 243-square-meter, first-floor-aboveground structure, was completely destroyed by fire. The washing room is a space for cleaning equipment and tools used to fill propellant. To identify the cause of the explosion, the relevant authorities, including the police, began an on-site forensic examination that morning.
Meanwhile, Hanwha Aerospace disclosed that, in accordance with a partial work suspension order for the Daejeon plant from the Daejeon Regional Employment and Labor Office, it halted some production starting on the 1st.