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Gas leak at Posco plant sends 6 to hospital, 2 in critical condition

Published: 20 Nov. 2025, 18:25

A police official explains the forensic examination on Nov. 6 in front of Gate No. 2 of Posco’s Pohang Steelworks, following the death of a Posco DX worker the previous day. [NEWS1]

Another gas leak has occurred at Posco’s Pohang steel mill, leaving six people seriously or moderately injured — barely two weeks after a similar incident killed one worker.

The accident took place at around 1:30 p.m. Thursday in the outdoor area of the Stainless Steel No. 4 plant at the company's Pohang Steelworks, according to the North Gyeongsang Fire Department and Pohang Nambu Police Precinct.

Two cleaning subcontractors, one Posco employee and three members of Posco’s in-house firefighting team inhaled chemical substances while performing sludge-cleaning operations.

Three of the six were unconscious, while the remaining three reported breathing difficulties and other minor symptoms. All were transported to nearby hospitals.

Of the three who were unconscious, two remain in critical condition. The three others who reported trouble breathing are undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

“A Posco employee reported the incident after seeing two subcontracted cleaners collapse during the operation,” an official from the Pohang Nambu Police Precinct said. “Three in-house firefighters were immediately dispatched but also inhaled gas and suffered minor injuries.”

A view of Posco’s Pohang Steelworks in Pohang, North Gyeongsang. [NEWS1]

The workers were cleaning equipment in the area when they were exposed to toxic gas, according to Posco. Fire authorities suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, while police and the company plan to conduct joint forensics and interview witnesses to determine the exact cause of the accident.

In March, an employee from Posco PR Tech — an affiliate — died after becoming trapped in machinery during repair work at the plant’s cold-rolling line.

On Nov. 5, one subcontracted employee died and three others were injured after inhaling what is believed to have been hydrofluoric acid gas during an equipment inspection. At the time, four subcontracted workers from Posco DX were walking across chemical pipes to install an electrical cable at the stainless steel annealing and pickling line when a pipe is believed to have ruptured, causing the leak.

Posco DX CEO Shim Min-suk, issued a public apology, saying the company would “take all possible measures to prevent a recurrence through a thorough investigation into the cause.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY BAEK KYUNG-SEO [[email protected]]