Seoul launches urgent safety inspections of hazardous chemical facilities

Seoul city will conduct emergency safety inspections of 102 hazardous chemical handling sites from July 29 through mid‑July. The checks follow recent accidents at Hanwha Aerospace’s Daejeon plant and a toxic‑gas leak at SK Hynix’s Cheongju factory, which together highlighted that 83.8% of 31 chemical incidents recorded between 2014 and 2025 were caused by non‑compliance with safety standards.

Inspectors from the Seoul safety‑audit office, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and fire‑safety experts will verify compliance with handling standards, use of personal protective equipment, ventilation system operation, legal inspections and safety‑training records. Minor issues will be corrected on‑site, while serious violations such as illegal storage will trigger immediate shutdown, notification of fire and environmental authorities, and possible criminal prosecution.

Han Byung‑yong, head of Seoul’s Disaster‑Safety Office, said, “Recent chemical accidents show that small negligence can lead to major accidents. We will do our utmost to protect citizens and workers through thorough inspections and proactive safety management.”