▲ Aricell CEO Park Soon-kwan moves to a waiting area after attending his warrant review hearing in August 2024.
The Supreme Court is set to deliver its ruling on Park Soon-kwan, the CEO of Aricell, who was indicted over the deadly factory fire disaster that claimed 23 lives.
The Supreme Court's First Division (presiding Justice Chun Dae-yup) will hold a sentencing hearing for Park's appeal at 10:00 a.m. today (the 20th) on charges including violations of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act.
On June 24, 2024, a fire broke out at the Aricell factory in Seosin-myeon, Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, resulting in a tragic disaster that killed 23 workers and injured nine others.
Park was indicted and detained on charges of violating safety and health assurance obligations, such as failing to inspect hazardous and risk factors and failing to establish guidelines in preparation for serious accidents.
The first trial court found Park guilty, ruling that he qualified as a "management-responsible person" subject to punishment under the Serious Accidents Punishment Act, and sentenced him to 15 years in prison.
Park Joong-eon, Aricell's general manager and the CEO's son who was indicted alongside him on charges including violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, was also sentenced to 15 years in prison.
This marked the heaviest sentence handed down since the Serious Accidents Punishment Act took effect in 2022.
While the appeals court also deemed Park the management-responsible person, it significantly reduced his sentence to four years in prison.
General Manager Park's sentence was also reduced to seven years in prison.
Unlike the first trial, the appellate court ruled that Park had no obligation to install emergency exits and did not violate the obligation to maintain them, thereby overturning that part of the judgment to not guilty.
The appellate court determined that there was an error in the first trial's ruling, which had only limitedly reflected settlements with the bereaved families in its sentencing.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
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