Tragic death of 39-year-old employee at Ourhome plant sparks investigation into safety protocols

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Tragic death of 39-year-old employee at Ourhome plant sparks investigation into safety protocols

Published: 09 Apr. 2025, 20:54

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Ourhome food production plant in Yongin, Gyeonggi [SON SUNG-BAE]

A 39-year-old employee who died after getting his neck hurt at a food processing plant was about to get married, in a tragic revelation made by the late worker's friends, according to reports.

The deceased employee had worked at ready-made-meal manufacturer Ourhome for around five years, initially in the dried seaweed division before transferring to fish cake production.

According to the Gyeonggi Nambu Police Agency and Yongin Dongbu Police Precinct, the employee died around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday in the intensive care unit of a hospital in Osan, Gyeonggi. He had been unconscious since the accident, which took place Friday.

Friends and acquaintances of the employee described him as a devoted eldest son who was close with his parents and well-liked for his friendly personality. He had been preparing for marriage with his girlfriend of eight years, and their families had recently been arranging a formal meeting.

The incident occurred at 11:20 a.m. on Friday at the plant in Cheoin District, Yongin, Gyeonggi. The employee became trapped by the neck in a rotating cooling machine used in the production of fish cakes on the fourth floor of the facility.

The equipment involved in the incident was a closed cooling machine with a door similar to a refrigerator and a rotating internal mechanism. Authorities believe his neck was caught in the rotating unit, causing the fatal injury.

Ourhome food production plant in Yongin, Gyeonggi [SON SUNG-BAE]

Emergency responders arrived after being alerted by a co-worker and transported him to a nearby hospital while he was unresponsive. Though his condition initially stabilized in the ICU, it suddenly deteriorated, and he passed away on Tuesday.

Police began investigating the scene immediately after the accident and interviewed personnel from Ourhome. No CCTV footage of the production line at the time of the incident was available.

Following the employee’s death, authorities said they would upgrade the case from occupational negligence resulting in injury to occupational negligence resulting in death. The Ministry of Employment and Labor is also investigating whether the company violated the Serious Accidents Punishment Act.

Ourhome CEO Koo Mi-hyun apologized through a statement on Wednesday, saying that she feels “devastated beyond words over the occurrence of an accident that should never have happened.”

"I offer my deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathy to the bereaved family, and I also extend my apologies and words of comfort to the co-workers at the site," she said.

Ourhome headquarters in Gangseo District, southern Seoul [YONHAP]

The accident occurred after the company’s safety management director departed following the expiration of his contract. In accordance with the Serious Accidents Punishment Act, which went into effect in January 2022, Ourhome hired a disaster response expert for the role, whose contract ended on March 31.

A lawyer who previously served as a senior prosecutor said the law places legal responsibility for safety measures on a company’s CEO.

“If Ourhome failed to maintain a proper safety structure, this lapse could have contributed to the accident,” the attorney told the JoongAng Ilbo, an affiliate of Korea JoongAng Daily.

An Ourhome official said the company had no vacancy in its safety management structure.

“It’s not true that there was a leadership vacuum,” the official said. “Since the CEO was appointed last June, Lee Young-pyo, who oversees operations, has also been serving as the safety officer.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.

BY SON SUNG-BAE [[email protected]]