Latest news Five dead after explosion at South Korean rocket factory
At least five people have died following an explosion at a South Korean arms factory. Another two people were seriously injured, as South Korea's official news agency Yonhap reported.
01.06.2026, 09:40
SDA
The explosion occurred this morning (local time) at a plant belonging to the South Korean company Hanwha Aerospace in Daejeon, around 150 kilometers south of the capital Seoul. Photographs show dark clouds of smoke rising into the sky from the affected building.
Death toll could rise
South Korea's Prime Minister Kim Min Seok called on the authorities to mobilize all available emergency personnel and equipment for the ongoing rescue work. It is feared that the death toll could rise.
The Hanwha Aerospace site in Daejeon is considered central to the Korean defense industry. According to reports, rocket engines are developed and rocket fuel is produced there, among other things.
There have already been two explosions at the same plant in recent years. Five people died in May 2018 and three in February 2019. Just like the two previous accidents, the current explosion is said to have occurred in connection with work processes relating to rocket engines, as reported by the South Korean online medium News1. This has not been officially confirmed. The exact cause of the explosion is still being investigated by the authorities.
