Seoul city said on the 14th it will conduct an emergency safety inspection of business sites handling hazardous chemicals in the city. Through mid next month, it will focus on whether they complied with standards for handling chemical substances and on the status of safety management.
Seoul city said it decided to push an emergency safety inspection after an explosion occurred during a chemical-component cleaning process at the Hanwha Aerospace Daejeon establishment and a toxic gas leak also occurred at an SK hynix plant in Cheongju.
According to statistics from the Chemical Information Comprehensive System, there were a total of 31 accidents related to chemical substances in Seoul over the 12 years from 2014 to 2025. Of these, 26 cases (83.8%) were due to noncompliance with safety standards. By type, leaks were the most common at 21 cases (67.7%), followed by explosions at 4 cases (12.9%).
Seoul city also decided to carry out on-site inspections from the 29th of this month through mid next month. It will check: ▲ whether standards for handling hazardous chemicals are being followed ▲ whether personal protective equipment is worn and exhaust devices are operating ▲ whether statutory inspections and in-house checks are being conducted ▲ whether managers and others have completed safety training.
If serious legal violations are found, such as illegally storing hazardous chemicals without a permit, the city will immediately control the site and notify relevant agencies, including the jurisdictional fire station and the Han River Basin Environmental Office, to request administrative and judicial measures.
Han Byeong-yong, head of the Seoul city Disaster and Safety Office, said, "The recent chemical accidents showed that small carelessness and failure to follow safety rules at the site can lead to major accidents," and added, "We will do our best to protect the safety of both citizens and workers through thorough inspections of facilities that handle hazardous chemicals and preemptive safety management."