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Hyundai Motor slacked on safety measures at plant where three workers died, Korean gov't finds

Published: 11 Mar. 2025, 19:14

KIM JU-YEON
[email protected]

Three researchers died in an accident on Nov. 19 2024 at Hyundai Motor's Ulsan plant, pictured in this photo taken the day after. [YONHAP]

The deaths of three researchers at a Hyundai Motor plant were the result of the company's failure to enforce legally required safety measures, the Korean government said.

Hyundai Motor did not enforce a regulation barring access to enclosed spaces or implement measures to prevent falling in risky areas, such as the edges of platforms or passageways, the Ministry of Employment and Labor found in its probe, the results of which it released Tuesday. The ministry identified 62 counts on which the company had violated the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

3 researchers die in Hyundai Motor test chamber

The two Hyundai researchers, as well as one affiliated with a subcontractor, had been found collapsed in a test chamber after conducting what the company's labor union reported were driving and idling tests on Nov. 19 at the company's Ulsan plant. Company officials and authorities said the victims had suffocated on exhaust gasses.

The labor ministry told Yonhap on Tuesday that the investigation into the researchers' deaths was ongoing.

The Labor Ministry launched the review of Hyundai Motor’s headquarters, Ulsan plant, Namyang research and development center and subcontractor Gil & S following last year's tragedy.

The Labor Ministry fined Hyundai Motor 545.28 million won ($375,464) for 22 of the violated rules and ordered judicial action for 40 of them. The agency also ordered the firm to take corrective action on 49 provisions.

Subcontractor Gil & S was fined 33.9 million won for four violations and was ordered to take corrective action on two.

The ministry urged Hyundai Motor to install gas detectors, implement an automatic recording system for gas concentration levels and place cameras in chambers so that workers can monitor tests from outside to prevent future accidents.

It ordered corrective measures and made recommendations for seven out of the 14 car testing facilities run by other investigated companies.

BY KIM JU-YEON [[email protected]]