Daewon Industry explosion reveals safety gaps and labor violations

One month after an explosion and fire at Daewon Industry in Cheonan, South Korea, killed three people—including two Filipino migrant workers—investigations have revealed significant safety and regulatory gaps.

Despite experiencing four fires since 2022, the facility was exempt from mandatory fire safety inspections because its total floor area was less than 5,000 square meters. One of the deceased, Joy Kanto, had worked at the plant since 2017 to support his family in the Philippines.

Authorities have also discovered potential legal violations regarding the employment of foreign workers. While Kanto was officially permitted to work for a separate entity called ‘Daewon Yuji,’ he was actually performing labor at Daewon Industry. The Ministry of Employment and Labor is currently investigating the reasons behind this corporate separation.

Data shows a high rate of labor violations in workplaces employing many foreign workers, with detection rates reaching 87.4% in recent inspections. Local migrant worker support groups are calling for more rigorous oversight to prevent similar industrial tragedies.