Samsung (005930) has issued a public apology for the fatal gas leak at one of its semiconductor plants that left one contract worker dead and four others injured. In late January as much as 10 liters of hydrofluoric acid leaked from the company’s primary semiconductor factory in Hwaseong City and is believed to have endangered thousands of people who live and work in the area. Police are still investigating whether Samsung violated the law when reporting the incident. Samsung CEO Kwon Oh-hyun said in a statement to The Wall Street Journal that Samsung will “fundamentally change” its environmental safety system and revealed plans to launch its own investigation into the cause of the accident.
“We’ve always taken great pride in the high standards we set for our operations and the safety measures we have in place,” the executive added. “In keeping with our commitment to operating high-quality facilities, we are committed to continually making enhancements to our protocols to ensure we are protecting the safety and well-being of our employees, partners and the local community.”
