Jerusalem Post/World News"Authorities have yet to identify the victims because their bodies were severely damaged," a health official told the same briefing.Follow us on GoogleA police officer controls the area in front of the main gate of Hanwha Aerospace’s factory that caught fire after an explosion, in Daejeon, South Korea, June 1, 2026. (photo credit: YONHAP VIA REUTERS)ByREUTERSJUNE 1, 2026 10:01Five people have died, and two others were injured on Monday after an explosion and fire on a South Korean production line for rocket propellant at a factory operated by Hanwha Aerospace in the city of Daejeon, officials said.The two survivors, including one who was badly burned, had escaped from the facility themselves, a fire official told a briefing."Authorities have yet to identify the victims because their bodies were severely damaged," a health official told the same briefing.A fire official said that an explosion had triggered the blaze, though the cause of the blast was still being investigated.Shares in Hanwha Aerospace fell 2.8% in afternoon trade, while the holding company Hanwha Corp saw its shares drop 3.4%.South Korean President Lee Jae-myung speaks at the Vietnam-South Korea business forum in Hanoi on April 23, 2026. (credit: NHAC NGUYEN/AFP via Getty Images)The blast appeared to have occurred while water was being used to clean explosive material from tools making rocket propellant, a Hanwha official told a company briefing. Mobilization of all available resources to respond to the accident"We bow our heads in apology to the victims and their bereaved families," said Chief Executive Officer Son Jae-il, pledging to cooperate fully with authorities to determine the cause of the accident.The five dead included two temporary workers in their 20s, and all were employed by Hanwha, the company said.Hanwha is a defense and aerospace company. Its factory in Daejeon produces large propulsion engines and handles rocket propellants.Authorities were unable to obtain the factory's layout since it is protected under national security laws, an official said at an earlier briefing.South Korean President Lee Jae Myung called for the mobilization of all available resources to respond to the accident and for an investigation, his office said in a text message to reporters.Follow us on Google