멈추지 않는 공장의 비명: 아워홈, 안전 경영의 허상을 묻다 > K-wave Trends

On the afternoon of the 8th, a horrific accident occurred at the fish cake packaging line on the 4th floor of Ourhome's Yongin Plant No. 2, where a worker from a subcontractor in their 50s had their neck caught in a conveyor belt. The victim's hairnet was pulled into the machine while they were working, dragging them in helplessly; they were transported to the hospital in cardiac arrest and are currently fighting for their life. Police investigating the scene have strongly suggested that essential safety guards and emergency stop buttons were either missing or not functioning properly at the time of the accident. The fact that a worker was left in front of dangerous machinery without even the basic protective measures required by the current Occupational Safety and Health Act suggests that this incident is not a mere freak accident, but a clearly foreseeable man-made disaster.

Even more shocking is the fact that this factory has been the source of multiple safety accidents in the past. Just 14 months ago, in April of last year, a tragedy occurred on the same line where a worker in their 30s died after their neck was caught in a machine. At the time, an investigation by the Ministry of Employment and Labor revealed that the emergency stop button was located far from the workstation and that there were no automatic protective devices, sparking public outrage. Ironically, the factory had even been recognized as an excellent workplace for risk assessment just before that accident. The repetition of a similar accident in the same factory within a year proves that the recurrence prevention measures promised by the company were either completely ineffective on the ground or merely a formal gesture.

This situation is also the greatest test of trust Ourhome has faced since being incorporated as a subsidiary of Hanwha Group. During the acquisition process, Hanwha Group touted future-oriented management, emphasizing synergies in food tech using robots and AI, but the essential task of improving the working environment on the ground was pushed to the back burner. Industry insiders criticize the group for being so preoccupied with rapid external growth and achieving visible results that it neglected the "internalization of safety management"—the removal of inherent risks in the acquired company. In particular, as serious industrial accidents have occurred one after another across Hanwha Group subsidiaries recently, concerns are growing that the group-wide integrated safety and health management system has lost its effectiveness.

Immediately after the accident, Ourhome issued an apology in the name of the CEO and suspended operations at the production line in question. CEO Kim Tae-won bowed his head in the apology, stating that the company would actively cooperate with all investigations and conduct emergency safety inspections across all business sites. However, experts question how much weight an apology from a company that failed to improve despite repeated accidents will carry with the victim, their family, and the public. Testimony has even emerged that a subcontractor worker had repeatedly suggested the lack of safety devices to the company, only to be ignored, which suggests that the company's professional negligence will be handled strictly during the upcoming investigation.

The police and the Ministry of Employment and Labor are taking this accident very seriously. The police are maintaining their stance that they will thoroughly investigate whether the company fulfilled its safety obligations under the Occupational Safety and Health Act and will strictly punish those responsible if negligence is uncovered. The Ministry of Labor is also keeping the possibility of applying the Serious Accidents Punishment Act open and is closely examining the on-site safety management system. The fact that the same tragedy has occurred again, even after factory officials were legally punished following previous accidents, shows that the company's safety culture has devolved into nothing more than a means to avoid legal penalties. Now is the time for a fundamental shift in management philosophy that can root out structural defects in the workplace, going beyond simple apologies or temporary inspections.