SEOUL: Korean steelmaking giant Posco dismissed the head of the Pohang Steelworks, Lee Dong-ryeol, on Friday (Nov 21), holding him responsible for a series of fatal industrial accidents at the plant this year — incidents that claimed two lives and left three others still unconscious after suffering cardiac arrest. Lee, a veteran steel engineer, had been in the post since January.
The company plans to keep the chief position at the steelworks vacant for now, with CEO Lee Hee-geun temporarily taking over management of the facility, according to industry sources.
The latest accident occurred Thursday at around 1.30pm, when six people were found unconscious after inhaling what authorities suspect was a toxic gas at the Pohang Steelworks in North Gyeongsang Province. All six were administered CPR at the scene. The victims included two cleaning contractors and one Posco employee. Several in-house firefighters who responded were also exposed but were not in life-threatening condition.
Police have launched an investigation, with officials citing carbon monoxide poisoning as a possible cause.
The steelworks has seen multiple serious incidents in recent months. On Nov 5, a hydrofluoric acid leak at the same site killed a subcontractor from Posco DX and left three others with chemical burns. In March, a worker in his 40s employed by Posco PR Tech, the company’s equipment maintenance unit, died after becoming trapped in machinery during repair work at the cold-rolling plant.
The recent string of accidents has attracted renewed scrutiny of safety practices at Posco’s flagship steelmaking complex, one of the nation’s largest industrial sites. - The Korea Herald/ANN
