By Kim Se-jeong
Lawmakers grilled the environment minister over asbestos management Friday, the first day of the National Assembly audit of the environment ministry.
Asbestos is a cancer-causing material that was widely used in construction.
Rep. Kim Sam-wha from the opposition People's Party, presented data showing that out of 800 buildings used as small after-school institutions ― smaller than 1,000 square meters in size ― 427, or 53 percent, had asbestos used in construction.
"The government should move more tightly to keep children and students from being exposed to asbestos in buildings," the lawmaker said.
Minister Kim Eun-kyung defended the government, explaining that her ministry, together with other branches of the government are currently retrofitting buildings used by children so they are asbestos-free.
In July, another study found that out of 53 schools inspected, 47 were contaminated with asbestos. The results prompted the environment, education and labor ministries to launch comprehensive inspections across the country.
Out of a total of 1,214 school buildings, the study found 410 were built with asbestos. The environmental and educational authorities are currently removing and cleaning the toxic materials in the buildings.
Asbestos was used to fire proof buildings until large numbers of construction workers and residents who worked and lived near construction sites became ill.
The ministry put regulations on buildings and recognized asbestos victims. Asbestos leads to serious lung failure.
Besides asbestos, lawmakers also questioned the minister about venomous fire ants whose bites can be fatal if not treated.
The ministry reiterated its continuing efforts to inspect major ports in the country and to find "queen ants" which lay up to 1,500 eggs a day. Some lawmakers took issue with the government's failure to prevent the arrival of the species native to South America.
A recent sanitary pad scandal was also discussed.
The ministry kept reiterating the government's efforts to end the scandal and ensure the safety of all sanitary products.
It is currently studying volatile organic compounds in the pads and their health impact on women who have used them.
The Four Major Rivers Restoration Project spearheaded by former President Lee Myung-bak is also expected to reignite a heated bipartisan debate. Environmentalists have called the project the worst disaster to the major rivers' ecosystems. Lee was asked to testify at the audit by a lawmaker from the Justice Party, but it is unclear whether he will do so.
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