SOUTH KOREA – Fire at Young Poong Zinc Smelter Raises Concerns Over Sulphuric Acid Supply
A fire at Young Poong’s Seokpo zinc smelter in North Gyeongsang province today has raised concerns over potential disruptions to sulphuric acid production and domestic supply. The facility has an annual zinc production capacity of 728,000 tonnes.
The company supplies most of its sulphuric acid output to the South Korean market, while around 200,000 tonnes each year are exported through Donghae port, mainly under long-term contracts with trading firms. Any interruption to operations could reduce sulphuric acid availability in the domestic market.
According to local media and market participants, the fire broke out at around 12:36 local time (03:36 GMT). The blaze is believed to have started inside the smelter, prompting local fire authorities to activate a Level 1 emergency response because of concerns about a possible release of hazardous gases. Firefighters were deployed to search the site and evacuate nearby residents. The cause of the incident remains under investigation.
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