[Alpha Biz= Reporter Kim Jisun] Three researchers conducting vehicle performance experiments at Hyundai Motor's Ulsan Plant tragically died from suffocation.

According to the Ulsan Northern Police Station and the Hyundai Motor branch of the Metal Workers’ Union, the incident occurred on the afternoon of November 19 in the electrification quality division's vehicle performance testing chamber at the Ulsan plant. The researchers were found collapsed around 3:00 p.m. by colleagues and were rushed to a hospital but could not be saved.

The victims were identified as Kim (45) and Park (38), senior researchers from the Namyang Research Center, and Jang (26), an employee of an automobile R&D company in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province. They were conducting performance tests in a "chamber" at the electrification quality division of Ulsan Plant 4 when the tragedy occurred. The chamber, a sealed experimental room roughly the size of a vehicle, is designed to recreate real driving conditions to evaluate various vehicle performance metrics.

The researchers reportedly began their "final test" around 2:00 p.m., which was expected to last 30 minutes. However, when they did not emerge after nearly an hour, a colleague outside the chamber attempted to contact them via radio. After receiving no response, the colleague called for help.

The deceased were found inside the test vehicle, a GV80 model, occupying the driver's seat, front passenger seat, and rear seat. At the time of discovery, the vehicle's windows and doors were shut. Emergency responders broke the windows to open the vehicle and rescue them, but it was too late.

Authorities are investigating the exact cause of the accident and whether safety protocols were adequately followed during the experiment.

 

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