Arrest warrant sought for those responsible for S. Korea's battery plant fire

An arrest warrant was sought for those responsible for South Korea's battery plant fire in June that claimed 23 lives, Yonhap news agency reported on Friday, citing the police and the labor ministry.

The police and the labor ministry held a joint press conference after investigating the cause of the deadly accident that occurred at a plant of the local lithium battery producer Aricell in Hwaseong, about 45 km south of the capital Seoul, on June 24.

The investigation found that Aricell continued to manipulate test samples since it began to supply battery products to the military in 2021 in a bid to illegally pass quality inspections.

The arrest warrant was requested for the Aricell chief executive and three others on charges of violating the Serious Accidents Punishment Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act and other laws.

After failing to pass the quality inspection in April this year, Aricell began to excessively manufacture battery products and make twice as much as its daily average production volume.

For the excessive manufacturing production, the company mobilized unskilled workers who were not properly trained, leading to a higher defect rate.

The battery factory fire killed 23 workers, including 17 Chinese nationals.