A gas leak and fire at a key SK Hynix semiconductor plant in South Korea led to the emergency evacuation of thousands of workers, with several individuals sustaining injuries. The company stated that production was not interrupted, though the cause is under investigation and casualty figures may be revised, drawing attention to potential implications for the global memory chip supply chain.

An incident involving a fire and subsequent hydrofluoric acid gas leak occurred at an SK Hynix chip fabrication facility in Cheongju, South Korea, prompting the urgent evacuation of employees and raising concerns about potential operational impacts.

According to reports citing local news agency Yonhap, the incident began at approximately 10:32 AM local time on June 1. The fire originated in a gas room on the sixth floor of a connecting structure between the M15 and M15X factories within the Cheongju Fourth Industrial Complex. The blaze was quickly controlled after sprinkler systems activated, but some hydrofluoric acid gas was released during the event, resulting in injuries to six people who were transported to a company hospital for treatment.

Fire authorities confirmed that six individuals were injured in the accident and have been transferred for medical care. The investigating officials noted that the inquiry is ongoing and the number of casualties could potentially be revised upward.

Following the gas leak, SK Hynix immediately initiated emergency protocols, evacuating all approximately 3,600 employees from the M15 and M15X factory buildings. A company spokesperson stated, "We immediately completed the evacuation of all personnel, and the fire has been extinguished. We will cooperate with relevant authorities in investigating the cause and will file the necessary reports with regulators." The spokesperson added that no abnormalities in equipment operation were detected, production was not halted, and employees would return to work following the completion of safety checks.

The M15 and M15X factories in the Cheongju Fourth Industrial Complex are core semiconductor manufacturing facilities for SK Hynix. The hydrofluoric acid involved in this incident is a hazardous chemical commonly used in semiconductor production processes. The SK Hynix spokesperson has not yet responded to further media inquiries, and the specific cause of the accident awaits the conclusion of investigations by fire and relevant regulatory agencies.