Park Soon-kwan, the CEO of Arisell, who is facing charges of violating the Serious Accidents Punishment Act related to the fire at the Arisell factory in Hwaseong that resulted in the deaths of 23 workers, has been released on bail.
According to the legal community on the 21st, the Suwon District Court's Criminal Division 14 (Director General Ko Kwon-hong) accepted the bail request filed by the CEO's side on the 19th and issued a ruling in its favor.
During the bail hearing on the 12th, the CEO claimed there was no fear of evidence destruction or flight and requested bail to be granted.
The CEO's attorney said, "The investigation has been completed, and while the witness examinations have not all concluded, some have left their jobs, meaning there is no reason to distort their testimony due to workplace relations, so there is no fear of evidence destruction," and noted, "As the CEO of S-Connect, please consider the issue of employees' livelihood."
The CEO is charged with breaches of safety and health obligations, including failure to check hazardous and dangerous factors and lack of a manual to prepare for serious accidents, related to the fire incident at the Arisell factory in Hwaseong that occurred on June 24 last year, which caused the deaths of 23 workers.
The CEO is accused of having dispatched 320 workers from unlicensed dispatch companies, including Maisel, between November 2021 and June of last year for battery manufacturing processes along with his son Park Joong-eon, Deputy Minister.
The CEO's side argued, "He handed over the company to Deputy Minister Park and effectively all management was handled by him," and claimed, "The CEO only received reports on the company's progress from the CEO of S-Connect, who provided funding to Arisell, and was not in charge of overall business management, thus does not qualify as the person responsible for management."