In June 2024, a fire at a factory run by Aricell, a South Korean lithium battery manufacturer, killed 23 workers from China, Laos and South Korea, including ethnic Koreans from China. Reuters says over half of the 103 workers at the factory, including some of those killed, were contract workers dispatched by a manpower company, including temporary workers.

An investigation has been launched into the incident. A New York Times article alleges the walls of the building where the fire occurred were built with plastic insulation that is vulnerable to fire and that combustible materials were kept near the exit door.

The CEO of the company apologised for the fire and said it had complied with all required safety precautions and training. He said the company "will be conscientiously taking part in the investigation by authorities and will do [its] best to determine the cause of the accident and to take measures to prevent a repeat of such an accident".

Following the incident, a New York Times article highlights how migrant workers in the country face particular risk of injury or death in workplace accidents in comparison to domestic workers. The article particularly highlights how ethnic Korean Chinese are “treated as second- or third- class citizens” in South Korea.

The article also notes that while South Korea is a major producer of lithium batteries, regulations largely focus on the environmental concerns of lithium instead of the safety hazards associated with it.