In December of 2023, three female patrons in their 70s unexpectedly passed away after suffering from fatal electric shocks while taking a hot bath at a bathhouse in Jochiwon, Sejong City. The identified cause is the malfunction in an underwater massager, which led to electrical leakage in the bathwater. 

After the incident, the bathhouse was carefully examined and the cause of the electrocution was located in the basement machinery room. The current word is that the coil within the motor broke, which caused the electrical current to travel into the bath through the pipes.

As the trial took place at the Daejeon District Court on Mar. 10, the bathhouse owner faced charges under involuntary manslaughter resulting from professional negligence. However, the bathhouse owner’s defense attorney argued that the responsibility is not his but the manufacturer of the underwater massager, meaning that this incident was not predictable nor preventable as the bathhouse owner is not an electrical expert as he would not have been able to detect internal insulation failure. 

“This is such an unfortunate incident that I feel could have been prevented with regular check-ups with electrical machines,” Julie Lee (11), regular bathhouse user, said. “Especially with old bathhouses, there should have been frequent and careful check-ups and maintenance procedures.”

On the other hand, the victims’ legal representative criticized the bathhouse owner’s behavior that lacked apologies and compensation over the last three years. The legal representative noted that there was an attempt to settle negotiations. However, these efforts were unsuccessful due to the absent cooperation from the bathhouse owner. The legal representative expressed concern that the bathhouse owner might have tried to make negotiations for the purpose of undermining the victims’ position and gaining advantage in the criminal trial. 

“Whether the fault is the bathhouse owner’s or not, there is no doubt that there should have been a proper apology addressing his condolences to those who passed away,” Sophia Park (12), regular bathhouse visitor, said. “I wish that he delivers his condolences to the victims’ families in a respectful manner in the near future.”

This unfortunate incident highlighted the safety standards and maintenance protocols for electrical equipment in public facilities. The ongoing trial aims to address the situation of the victims’ families and accountability regarding older electric machines meeting modern safety installations.