By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
The government has said four Hankook Tire workers are victims of a chemical used at its plant between 1999 and 2003.
Lawmakers claim the government's acknowledgement shows a possible relation between the solvent HV-250, a non-benzene compound, and the workers' health.
One of the victims contracted peripheral neuropathy after he was exposed to the solvent, the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency said Monday. The agency said another 48 year-old's acute leukemia seems to have also been caused by his 20 years of being exposed to a solvent the company previously used. The material used to contain benzene.
The acknowledgement is in line with allegations that 13 workers have died due to exposure to toxic chemicals used in the production process in the tire plant in just 17 months.
The company has previously said heavy workload or severe stress could have caused the deaths, but denied the possibility of chemical involvement. The Ministry of Labor has also not confirmed the relationship, but the revelation verifies it, family members of the deceased workers said. They also raised suspicion over ``rubber fumes,'' fine dust that is released during the rubber manufacturing process.
Moreover, some alleged the company refused to take any additional safety inspections, saying such inspections would interfere in its business.
Rep. Hong Hee-deok of the Democratic Labor Party said the company tried to play down the issue by limiting the causes to personal health management. Also it has allegedly collected personal information from the bereaved families.
Hong raised suspicions that the company's executive vice president Cho Hyun-bum being a son-in-law of President Lee Myung-bak has contributed to such a ``downplay.'' He also said as long as Lee has another son working at the company, the case would never have to face the ``truth.''
The tire maker, on the other hand, denied all allegations. Company spokesman Lee Kyung-tae said collecting personal data from bereaved families and the deceased was just for compensation purposes as well as funeral arrangements. It said it did not try to cover up the case during inspections nor try to manipulate it.
Lee also said the company's head's personal link with the President would never affect the result. He said the direct relationship between the rubber fumes and the human body is yet to be confirmed but the company will be conducting in depth research on ways to improve its working environment.