South Korean Lithium Battery Maker CEO Arrested for Industrial Safety Violations

Park Soon-kwan, CEO of Aricell, a South Korean lithium battery maker, has been arrested following a fatal fire in June that killed 23 people. The Suwon District Court approved his detention for violating industrial safety laws. His son, an executive at the company, has also been detained.

Park Soon-kwan, the CEO of Aricell, has been arrested following a devastating fire in June that claimed the lives of 23 individuals. The Suwon District Court, which has authority over Hwaseong, where the factory is located, approved the detention warrant for Park on allegations of violating industrial safety laws.

Despite Park's earlier apology and claims that all safety protocols were followed, recent findings indicate that a rush to meet supply deadlines and ignoring dangerous quality defects in produced batteries contributed to the fire. Temporary workers were brought in to ease a production backlog, but they lacked proper safety and emergency escape training, thereby increasing the casualty count.

The court has also detained Park's son, who is an executive at Aricell. Authorities assert that both individuals failed to uphold essential safety standards, leading to the tragic incident.

(With inputs from agencies.)