Hanwha Aerospace Explosion Investigation Concludes; Police Begin Safety Probe

  Seven people, including five fatalities, were reported in the explosion at Hanwha Aerospace's Daejeon facility, prompting police to launch an investigation into the cause.

According to Yonhap News on June 2, the Daejeon Police Agency conducted a joint investigation at the explosion site with the fire department, the National Forensic Service, the Ministry of Employment and Labor, and the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency. The investigation lasted approximately six hours and concluded around 4:40 PM.

The explosion occurred at 10:59 AM the previous day in a cleaning room of Building 56, resulting in the deaths of five workers and injuries to two others. Reports indicate that workers were cleaning gunpowder residue from manufacturing tools for projectiles at the time.

Police focused their investigation on the suspected ignition point, examining the site for evidence of the cause and the presence of flammable materials. However, much of the evidence was destroyed, limiting visual confirmation.
  Chairman Jin Young-seung of the Joint Chiefs of Staff inspected military readiness at key units in the capital region one day before the local elections.

According to Yonhap News, on June 2, Jin visited the Army Capital Corps and the Marine Corps 2nd Division to assess their coastal defense operations and encourage the troops.

Jin first visited the Army Capital Corps headquarters in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province, to review operational readiness. He received briefings on coastal defense operations, procedures for responding to drone threats, and the status of illegal fishing in neutral waters of the Han River, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a robust operational posture.

During the visit, discussions also took place regarding the transfer of operational control of the Marine Corps 2nd Division to the Marine Corps, in line with the government's plan to reform the Marine Corps into a 'quasi-fourth military force.'

Earlier, Jin visited the Marine Corps 2nd Division's coastal defense unit in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, instructing them to maintain heightened surveillance and readiness to prevent enemy surprise attacks.
  Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, will visit the AI research center and robotics lab at Seoul National University during his trip to South Korea. He has expressed a desire to meet with students directly, according to reports.

Huang is expected to arrive in South Korea on the evening of June 4 and plans to visit the university's AI research center and robotics lab on June 8, with details still being finalized with the school.

Professors from the research centers will accompany Huang, and demonstrations of key research areas are anticipated.

As the competition for AI talent intensifies, there is significant interest in the messages Huang will convey to the next generation of researchers in South Korea. A representative from Seoul National University stated, "The format of the meeting is currently under discussion with NVIDIA."

This visit follows approximately two months after Huang's daughter, Madison Huang, a senior director of robotics marketing at NVIDIA, visited the robotics lab at the university, where she observed robot demonstrations and met with researchers.
  Kim Se-ye, the head of the Garosero Research Institute, who is accused of defaming actor Kim Soo-hyun, had his request for a review of his detention denied by the court.

According to Yonhap News on June 2, the 8th Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court, presided over by Judges Cha Seung-hwan, Choi Hae-il, and Choi Jin-sook, dismissed Kim's request for a review of his detention after a hearing on charges of defamation, threats, and attempted coercion, stating, "There is no reason for the request."

Kim had filed the request five days after his detention on May 31, seeking a review of the legality and necessity of his detention.

During the one-hour hearing, Kim, with his hands bound, claimed that his detention was leading to defamation against the late Kim Sae-ron.

With Kim's detention upheld, police, who have been investigating the case for over a year, are expected to conclude their investigation into Kim's alleged pressure on Kim Soo-hyun's side and soon forward the case to prosecutors.
  A court hearing was held on June 2 regarding whether to suspend the travel ban imposed on Professor Tan (Korean name: Dan Hyun-myung) of Liberty University, who is under police investigation for allegedly defaming President Lee Jae-myung.

Tan did not attend the hearing.

According to Yonhap News, Tan's legal representatives argued before Judge Wi Ji-hyun of the Seoul Administrative Court that the right to freedom of movement is constitutionally protected and requested the suspension of the travel ban.

In contrast, the Ministry of Justice argued for the continuation of the travel ban.

A representative from the Ministry stated, "Tan's side claims the need to travel for lectures in the U.S., but they have not provided specific details about the timing or purpose of the trip, making it difficult to prove any irreparable harm from the ban."

The representative added, "While they claim to be cooperating with the investigation, it appears they are refusing to appear without legitimate grounds, suggesting the request should be denied."

The main trial for the cancellation of the travel ban is scheduled for June 10.



* This article has been translated by AI.

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