Explosion and fire at defense company in South Korea kills 5

01/06/2026

An entrance of a Hanwha Aerospace facility is controlled following an explosion in Daejoen, South Korea on June 1. (AP)

SEOUL, South Korea, June 1, (AP): An explosion and fire occurred at a defense company in South Korea on Monday, killing five people and injuring two others, officials said. The deadly incident happened at a worksite run by Hanwha Aerospace in the South Korean city of Daejeon.

Other details, including the cause of the explosion, were not immediately available. Emergency official Yoon Seong-su said that the area is a government-designated security facility.

Local medical official Kim Ju-yeon said one of the two injured people was in a critical condition. She said authorities haven't yet identified the dead people. The site is one of Hanwha Aerospace's key facilities where it develops large-sized propellants and surface-to-surface weapons systems, according to Yonhap news agency.