Sulfuric acid leak at Korea Zinc halts maintenance work

[THE INVESTOR] A sulfuric acid leak at Korea Zinc’s plant in Ulsan on June 28 injured six workers from a subcontractor. 

Korea Zinc is the global number one nonferrus metal smelting company in terms of scale, productivity, and technology.

According to the authorities, about 1,000 liters of sulfuric acid leaked during maintenance work, injuring six workers from a subcontractor. Three of them are reported to have sustained serious injuries. The leak was contained within the facility, and atmospheric toxicity in nearby areas showed no changes, the emergency services said.

The Korea Zinc facility where the accident occurred is undergoing regular maintenance until July 23.

Korea Zinc has since said that workers from the subcontractor are likely to have opened the wrong pipe to cause the accident.

The subcontractor, however, told the local media that Korea Zinc gave its workers the go ahead in opening the pipe involved in the accident.

The police plan to question concerned officials from both Korea Zinc and the subcontractor, and bring in National Forensic Service agents to determine the exact cause of the accident.

This is the third time in as many years a major accident has occurred at Korea Zinc. In July 2015, there was a sulfur trioxide leak, and there was a 30,000-liter solvent leak in February 2014.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)