SEOUL, South Korea  —In a tragic incident at a South Korean vegetable packaging plant, an industrial robot claimed the life of a worker when it grabbed and crushed him to death.

The local police are actively investigating the case, focusing on whether the robot was defective or improperly designed.

Preliminary findings from the police suggest that human error is a more likely cause of the accident rather than a fault in the machine itself. However, the incident has raised significant concerns regarding the safety of industrial robots and the potential false sense of security they may instill in the workers. South Korea has been increasingly relying on these machines to automate various industries.

The victim, whose identity has not been disclosed, was an employee of a company specializing in industrial robot installations. He had been sent to the plant to assess the robot's performance. The tragic event occurred when the worker was seized and pressed against a conveyor belt by the robotic arms.

This is not the first such incident in South Korea involving industrial robots. In recent years, there have been other accidents, including one where a manufacturing robot severely injured a worker, and another incident where a robot fatally crushed a worker at a milk factory.

The robot involved in this recent fatality was one of two pick-and-place robots used in the plant, primarily responsible for packaging bell peppers and other vegetables for export. Despite being a relatively basic machine that handles boxes, authorities are investigating whether it had any technical defects or safety issues.

The investigation is also exploring the possibility of human error playing a role in the accident. The robot's sensors are designed to identify boxes, and security footage suggests that the victim was in close proximity to the robot with a box in his hands, potentially triggering the machine's reaction.

South Korea has been at the forefront of robotic automation, with the highest robot density in the world in 2021, boasting 1,000 industrial robots per 10,000 employees, which is over three times the number in China. These robots are widely used in various industries, from electronics to automobile manufacturing.