Key facts
- Aricell CEO Park Soon-kwan's four-year prison sentence was finalized by South Korea's Supreme Court.
- The sentence is for a 2024 factory fire that killed 23 workers, including 17 Chinese nationals.
- Park's son, a company executive, received a finalized seven-year prison sentence.
- The fire occurred at Aricell's lithium battery manufacturing plant in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi province.
- The Serious Accidents Punishment Act mandates a minimum one-year prison sentence for fatal industrial accidents.
South Korea's Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld a four-year prison sentence for Aricell CEO Park Soon-kwan over a 2024 factory fire that killed 23 workers. The blaze at the lithium battery manufacturer's plant in Hwaseong killed 17 Chinese nationals, one Laotian national and five South Koreans. The court dismissed appeals from both the prosecution and the defense, finalizing the sentence for Park and a seven-year sentence for his son, a company executive. Initially, a district court had sentenced both to 15 years, but an appellate court reduced their terms, citing factors including settlements with victims' families and interpretations of safety regulations regarding emergency exits. The Serious Accidents Punishment Act, in force since 2022, mandates significant penalties for fatal industrial accidents.