More than 20 people, mostly Chinese, have been found dead after a large fire in a South Korean factory that manufactures lithium batteries, reports the rescue service.
The fire took time to come under control, allowing the rescue service to enter the factory buildings, reports the South Korean news agency Yonhap.
20 foreigners are among the dead, including 18 Chinese, one from Laos, and one of unknown nationality, says firefighter Kim Jin-Youn to Yonhap.
He adds that full identification of the victims will take time.
Fires in lithium batteries are difficult to control with conventional firefighting methods, which is why the rescue service used dry sand during the extinguishing work.
President Yoon Suk-Yeol instructed authorities during the fire to "mobilise all available personnel and equipment to focus on searching for and rescuing people".
The factory is owned by Aricell and is located in Hwaseong, south of the capital Seoul. The cause of the fire is unknown.
South Korea is a major battery manufacturer, including those used in electric vehicles. Lithium batteries can be highly explosive.
