The explosion occurred in the morning (local time) at a facility owned by the South Korean company Hanhwa Aerospace in Daejeon.Image: keystone
June 1, 2026, 9:41 a.mJune 1, 2026, 9:41 a.m
At least five people have died after an explosion at a South Korean arms factory. Another two people were seriously injured, South Korea’s official Yonhap news agency reported.
The explosion occurred in the morning (local time) at a facility belonging to the South Korean company Hanhwa Aerospace in Daejeon, around 150 kilometers south of the capital Seoul. Photographs show dark plumes of smoke rising into the sky from the affected building.
The number of deaths could rise
South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min Seok called on the authorities to mobilize all available emergency services and equipment for the ongoing rescue work. It is feared that the number of deaths could rise.
The Hanhwa Aerospace site in Daejeon is considered central to the Korean defense industry. According to reports, among other things, rocket engines are developed there and rocket fuel is produced.
Explosions have occurred twice in the same plant in recent years. Five people died in May 2018 and three people died in February 2019. Just like the two previous accidents, the current explosion is said to have occurred in connection with work processes related to rocket engines, as the South Korean online medium News1 reported. This has not been officially confirmed. The exact cause of the explosion is still being determined by authorities. (sda/dpa)