The front gate of a Hyundai car plant in Ulsan, South Korea, on November 19, 2024. — AFP

Three workers lost their lives at a Hyundai car plant on Tuesday, according to the South Korean automaker. Local reports indicate that the incident occurred during a vehicle performance test. Hyundai, along with its affiliate Kia, ranks as the world's third-largest automaker, having sold over 4.2 million units globally in 2023.

"Three research workers have perished at an Ulsan assembly line," stated a Hyundai spokesperson. "We are currently investigating the cause of the incident," the spokesperson added, without providing further specifics. The Ulsan plant, located 370km southeast of Seoul, is renowned by Hyundai as the "world's largest single automobile plant," featuring an export shipping dock.

According to South Korea's Yonhap news agency, the accident took place during a vehicle performance test within a chamber. Yonhap suggested that unventilated exhaust gases inside the chamber could have led to the fatal outcome.

"The three — two Hyundai researchers and one affiliated with a subcontractor — were discovered collapsed in a test chamber where they were conducting a car performance test," Yonhap reported. "They were transported to nearby hospitals but were declared dead." The victims were believed to have suffocated due to toxic gas in the enclosed space, and a police investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the accident.

In a statement, Hyundai expressed deep sorrow over the incident and pledged full cooperation with investigators. "We will collaborate fully with all relevant authorities to ascertain the cause of this incident as more information becomes available," the automaker stated. It also committed to "implementing measures to prevent any future incidents," though details of the incident were not disclosed.

Hyundai and Kia together account for approximately 80% of all new vehicle sales in the South Korean domestic market, according to 2023 data. In 2023, another worker died at the same Hyundai Motor factory in Ulsan after his head was caught in a heat treatment machine during an inspection, as reported by local media. Hyundai issued an apology for that incident, promising to "take all necessary measures" to prevent similar occurrences.

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