The Ministry of Education (MoE) announced Monday that it had formed a group of safety experts to inspect university laboratories following the deaths of three graduate students in an explosion at Seoul National University last September. The ministry said that it inspected the safety of a total of 196 laboratories at 36 national universities throughout Korea and discovered that most were appallingly managed, with toxic materials and high pressure gas tanks stored haphazardly.

The inspection team found that universities such as Kumho National University of Engineering, Iksan University, and Kongju National Culture University placed liquified petroleum gas (LPG) tanks inside laboratories when they were supposed to provide gas through pipes from a central provision room. Some universities were found to not have any fixed gas valves; Chungnam National University and Chungju National Industrial University were using gas tanks without having the appropriate attached acetylene welding equipments to prevent the gas from blowing back.

Furthermore, Seoul National University, Cheju National University, Kongju National University, and Hankyong National University left toxic materials such as organic solvent on laboratory tables or shelves, when they are supposed to be kept in separate storage facilities. At some of the laboratories, the inspection team discovered kitchen utensils, and 20 had poor maintenance in their warning alarm systems or had fire extinguishers that were in poor condition.

(Yang Keun-man, yangkm@chosun.com )