Production of Around 400 1-Ton Trucks Disrupted
Choi Junyoung, CSO: "Full Commitment to Prevent Recurrence"
Production disruptions are occurring at Kia Autoland Gwangju as some processes have been halted following the death of a full-time employee who became trapped in machinery. The company stated that it will thoroughly investigate the cause of the accident and take all possible measures to prevent recurrence.
According to Kia Autoland Gwangju on May 19, Plant 3, where the employee safety accident occurred, suspended operations starting at 7 a.m. that day. On May 16, an employee in his 40s, referred to as Mr. A, died after being caught in a vehicle transport machine at this location. On the day of the accident, labor authorities ordered a halt to some processes. There was no significant damage over the weekend and the holiday on May 17 and 18, as there was no production activity. However, starting from the scheduled workday on May 19, production disruptions began to occur.
Kia Motors Gwangju Plant Panorama
Kia Autoland Gwangju consists of three plants, and among them, Plant 3 produces an average of 400 1-ton trucks per day through press, body, painting, and assembly processes. With the plant shut down, approximately 1,000 out of the 6,000 employees, who work at Plant 3, are not reporting to work and are waiting at home. As the police and labor authorities have launched an investigation to determine whether those involved in the accident can be charged with occupational negligence resulting in death or violations of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act, production disruptions are expected to continue for the time being.
Choi Junyoung, Chief Safety Officer (CSO) at Kia, stated in a press release distributed on May 19, "We extend our deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathy to the deceased," adding, "We will do our utmost to strengthen fundamental safety measures in the aftermath of this accident and will make every effort to prevent such tragic incidents from happening again."
He emphasized, "This accident has made us keenly aware of the importance of on-site safety, and we will devote our full efforts to investigating the cause of the accident and preventing recurrence. We promise to thoroughly identify all factors affecting workplace safety and to aggressively implement comprehensive improvements for any potential hazards." He continued, "Taking this unfortunate accident as a lesson, we will reexamine our safety management system to further strengthen safety, and we will concentrate all our capabilities and efforts to ensure that nothing ever again threatens the lives and safety of our colleagues at our valued workplace."
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