SEOUL, Oct 20 — The Supreme Court on Tuesday finalised a four-year prison sentence for the head of lithium battery maker Aricell for failing to take enough safety measures at the company’s factory where a deadly fire killed 23 workers and injured nine in 2024, Yonhap News Agency reported.
Aricell chief executive officer (CEO) Park Soon-kwan was initially sentenced to 15 years in prison by a district court for violating his obligations to ensure safety at the factory in Hwaseong, 45 kilometres south of Seoul, under the Serious Accidents Punishment Act.
It was the heaviest sentence ever handed down to a CEO after the law took effect in 2022.
Under the law, business owners or CEOs can face a minimum prison sentence of one year and/or a maximum fine of 1 billion won (RM3.08 million) for fatal industrial accidents.
