Three workers die at nuclear plant site

Three South Korean workers died yesterday after apparently inhaling toxic gas at a construction site for a nuclear plant being built by South Korea’s monopoly nuclear power company, which has come under recent threats by hackers.

The accident at the construction site in the southeastern city of Ulsan came as the state-run Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power was on high alert over a series of threats by hackers who claim they can disable the control systems of its plants. Choi Hee-ye, a company spokeswoman, said there was no reason to believe yesterday’s accident was linked to the online threats.

The victims were working at the construction site when they fell unconscious and were taken to a hospital, where they later died. The company has yet to determine the cause of the accident, although the leaking of nitrogen was suspected.