Gyeonggi gov't to subsidize expenses of Hwaseong fire victims' families

Social Affairs

Published: 03 Jul. 2024, 17:59 Updated: 03 Jul. 2024, 19:49

Gyeonggi gov't to subsidize expenses of Hwaseong fire victims' families

Gyeonggi Gov. Kim Dong-yeon speaks during a press conference on Wednesday about providing emergency subsidies to the victims and bereaved family members of the deadly battery factory fire in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi. [GYEONGGI PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT]

The Gyeonggi provincial government said Wednesday it will provide subsidies of up to 5.5 million won ($3,600) to victims and bereaved family members of the deadly battery factory fire in Hwaseong.

Gyeonggi Gov. Kim Dong-yeon announced plans to offer emergency subsidies to cover living expenses to those affected by the fire starting Thursday.

A toxic inferno engulfed a factory owned by lithium battery maker Aricell on June 24, claiming the lives of 23 workers and leaving eight injured. Many victims were day workers and foreign laborers struggling to make ends meet.

Families of the 23 deceased will receive 5.5 million won each, funded by the province's reserves.

The injured surviving victims will receive varying amounts — 3.67 million won for two severely injured workers and 1.83 million won for six lightly injured victims.

Members of the council for the bereaved families of the deadly fire at Aricell's battery factory plant hold signs demanding an apology at Hwaseong City Hall, where a press conference took place on Sunday. [JOONGANG ILBO]

This marks the first time a local government has tapped into its reserve fund for emergency support. The provincial government said it intends to ask Aricell to pay back the money spent on subsidies, including airfare for victims' families.

"Given that most victims were foreign day workers, [the families] currently face financial challenges," Kim said, adding that the decision followed consultations with the Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters and civic experts.

A local government report detailing the accident will also be compiled.

"We will create a white paper that not only highlights the issues that emerged but also outlines the accident's sequence, potentially setting a new standard for industry safety and addressing challenges involving foreign workers," Kim said.

In the aftermath of the fatal fire, the city intensively inspected 31 out of 48 workplaces dealing with lithium through Tuesday, identifying nine cases of safety violations.

Six cases will be forwarded to the prosecution, and fines will be imposed on the remaining three. Twelve workplaces with inadequate fire equipment and hazard management have been instructed to rectify their practices.

Regarding concerns about air pollution and potential radioactive water leaks from the latest lithium fire, Kim reassured residents that no issues have been detected. Monitoring efforts will continue until residents feel assured, Kim said.

The province collaborated with Hwaseong to set up an integrated support center to provide personal assistance to victims and grieving families.

Currently, 227 accommodations have been provided to 437 bereaved family members, and 120 request cases have been processed, including six requests for Industrial accident compensation insurance — statutory insurance designed to guarantee the income of injured workers and their families.

"We will proactively investigate to identify all problems and uncover the loopholes in labor laws and management practices," Kim said, pledging to resolve these issues through improved regulations and laws.

BY CHOI MO-RAN, WOO JI-WON [woo.jiwon@joongang.co.kr]