Concerns are growing regarding Hanwha Aerospace's safety management system, which has been structured to report key safety issues to the CEO only twice a year. Additionally, there is no dedicated executive overseeing safety operations. This raises the likelihood of ongoing debates about accountability as investigations into the cause of a recent explosion at the Daejeon facility continue.
According to industry sources, Hanwha Aerospace has confirmed that it operates a system where key safety and health issues are reported to the CEO. The core content of these reports includes key performance indicators (KPIs) related to safety and health. The company has managed KPIs to enhance safety management and prevent serious accidents, regularly reporting on safety personnel, budget execution for accident prevention, and the identification of hazardous factors at the workplace.
In its 'Sustainability Management Report 2025' released in June last year, Hanwha Aerospace stated that it reports key safety and health issues to the CEO biannually. However, some critics argue that given the nature of defense operations, which involve numerous hazardous processes, biannual reporting may not be sufficient for timely management of safety risks.
The recent fatal incident at the Daejeon facility has intensified scrutiny over the effectiveness of this safety management system. On June 1, an explosion occurred in a cleaning room at Building 56 of the Daejeon facility, resulting in seven casualties. In response, the Ministry of Employment and Labor has formed a dedicated investigation team of about 20 members to determine the cause of the incident.
The absence of a dedicated executive responsible for safety at Hanwha Aerospace has also sparked controversy. Currently, the highest safety-related position in the company is held by the head of the Environment, Safety, and Health (ESH) department, which is managed by a mid-level manager. This individual also serves as the head of the safety management team and the Chief Safety Officer (CSO).
In contrast, smaller domestic defense companies like LIG Defense & Aerospace (D&A) and Hyundai Rotem have already established dedicated safety executive systems. LIG D&A has an executive in charge of the safety and environment department, while Hyundai Rotem's executive director, Kim Ik-soo, serves as the CSO, with a separate safety management support team led by Park Young-soon.
Concerns have been raised that Hanwha Aerospace may have been neglecting its overall safety management system. The company's industrial accident rate has risen for two consecutive years since 2022. After a slight decrease from 0.15% in 2021 to 0.11% in 2022, the rate increased to 0.13% in 2023 and 0.14% in 2024. The company had initially set a target of 0.10% for 2026 but raised it to 0.11% starting in 2024. However, a Hanwha Aerospace representative noted that the current head of the ESH department has over 20 years of experience in safety-related positions and holds a doctorate in safety engineering, making him the company's top safety expert.
An industry insider stated, "We will need to wait for the results of the accident investigation to determine exact accountability, but we should also scrutinize how the safety management system has been operated thus far."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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