China's foreign minister urges Korean gov't to 'promptly' investigate cause of Hwaseong factory fire

Diplomacy

Published: 30 Jun. 2024, 17:48

China's foreign minister urges Korean gov't to 'promptly' investigate cause of Hwaseong factory fire

Former Korean Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan, left, holds a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of a conference in Beijing Saturday, in a photo provided by the Chinese Foreign Ministry. [YONHAP]

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on the Korean government to "promptly" investigate the cause of a recent deadly battery factory blaze during a meeting with a former Korean prime minister, China's Foreign Ministry said Sunday.

Wang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Chinese Communist Party's Central Committee, made the remarks in a meeting with former Korean Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan Saturday, who was visiting Beijing to attend a conference.

The deadly fire, which broke out on June 24 at lithium battery manufacturer Aricell's plant in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi, killed 23 workers, including 17 Chinese nationals. The incident has brought to light the need to look into the risky working conditions for foreign laborers and the possible practice of illegal hiring of dispatch workers.

The other victims included a Laotian worker and five Koreans.

Most of the victims were said to be day laborers, mainly joseonjok, or ethnic Koreans from China, who reportedly did not know the proper evacuation routes during the explosion and fire.

Wang said that China is "highly concerned" about the battery plant fire, which caused the casualties of Chinese nationals, adding that Korea should "promptly investigate the cause of the accident," handle it responsibly and prevent similar tragedies from happening again.

In the meeting, Lee relayed to Wang that all sectors of Korea attach "great importance" to Korea-China relations and expressed the hope to "continue strengthening exchanges at all levels with China and promote the continuous development of bilateral relations," the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.

Lee visited Beijing to take part in a conference marking the 70th anniversary of the "five principles of peaceful coexistence," also attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Lee served as Korea's prime minister from 2004 to 2006 under the liberal Roh Moo-hyun administration and later took up the role of chief of the Democratic Party (DP).

Lee said that he was "moved" by President Xi's remarks at the conference on peaceful coexistence, noting that China has steadfastly adhered to the five principles of peaceful coexistence and worked to resolve various disputes peacefully and maintained peace and stability in the Asian region.

He added that "China's inclusive and universally beneficial attitude is extremely important in today's world."

China's Foreign Ministry said that the two sides exchanged views on issues of common interest, such as the situation on the Korean Peninsula, but did not further elaborate on the discussion.

A group of family members of the victims of the deadly fire at lithium battery manufacturer Aricell’s plant in Hwaseong hold a press conference at the memorial altar at Hwaseong City Hall in Gyeonggi Sunday, demanding a thorough investigation into the tragedy that killed 23 workers. [YONHAP]

During a visit to the site after the fire in Hwaseong on June 24, Chinese Ambassador to Seoul Xing Haiming said that Korean companies need to "learn a painful lesson" from the fire and prevent similar situations from happening in the future.

He further urged Korean authorities to determine the cause of the fire swiftly, manage its aftermath and provide all necessary support to the families of the Chinese victims.

He added that the Chinese ruling party and government are "highly concerned" about this incident and urged the Korean government to work toward protecting the life, health and safety of Chinese nationals in Korea.

On Sunday, a group of bereaved families of the victims of the battery factory fire held a press conference in front of the memorial altar at Hwaseong City Hall to call for a thorough investigation into the incident and proper punishment for those responsible for it.

Representatives of labor unions said that the Ministry of Employment and Labor, Hwaseong city government and Gyeonggi provincial government could be indirectly responsible for the tragedy, calling on them to review appropriate measures, including financial support, for the victims and their families.

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]