Disinfectant makers' apology too late, insincere
Humidifier disinfectant victims and civic group members dump Oxy Reckitt Benckiser products during a boycott campaign rally at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul, Tuesday. / Yonhap
This is the second in a three-part series on the scandal over a humidifier disinfectant which was allegedly responsible for more than 140 deaths. ― ED
By Kim Se-jeong
Ataur Rashid Safdar, head of Oxy Reckitt Benckiser, apologizes to victims of its humidifier disinfectant during a press conference at the Conrad Seoul Hotel, May 2. / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
On May 2, Ataur Rashid Safdar, Oxy Reckitt Benckiser (RB) director of operations in Korea, apologized to survivors and family members of the deceased who used its humidifier disinfectant which is believed to have caused the deaths of more than 100 people.
“Oxy RB announced today that it accepts responsibility for the role that the Oxy product played and the delay in providing an adequate remedy.” Safdar read the statement during a press conference in Seoul, adding that he will personally see that all those affected will receive compensation.
The apology came five years after the scandal first came to light. The victims chose not to accept it because they did not feel it was sincere enough; and instead, demanded an apology from the RB CEO in the United Kingdom.
Another reason for their refusal was that they had no trust in the company, as the ongoing investigation has disclosed its alleged attempts to conceal the truth.
Not only Oxy users but also those who used similar products from other manufacturers were disappointed because the companies showed little regard for their customers’ health. The companies only began to make apologies and offer compensation after the investigation was launched.
Oxy Reckitt Benckiser
Among 530 victims recognized by the government, 146 died of which 103 used Oxy’s sterilizer.
The product was originally made by a domestic company that Oxy took over in 2000.
After the British company took over Oxy in 2001, the new owner replaced a key chemical in the disinfectant with a cheaper one, PHMG, to save costs. SK Chemicals made the chemical and registered it with the government for use as a carpet cleaner. Neither SK Chemicals nor Oxy RB registered it for use as a humidifier disinfectant.
In August 2011, the government announced that the disinfectants caused lung disease and the deaths of mainly pregnant women and young children, resulting in damage suits against Oxy RB.
In response, Oxy RB commissioned research teams at Seoul National University (SNU) and Hanseo University to show the safety of their product.
The company allegedly paid the professors leading the teams to skew the laboratory studies in its favor, and then submitted these results to the courts. The SNU professor, surnamed Cho, was recently arrested.
The investigation is putting the spotlight on Oxy RB’s legal representative, Kim & Chang, the most powerful and highly acclaimed law firm in Korea. Cho maintains that he briefed Oxy RB and Kim & Chang about the toxicity of the product but the law firm cherry-picked the test results to make them appear favorable to the company.
Choi Ye-yong, the director of the Asian Citizen’s Center for Environment and Health, urged the prosecution to look deeper into Kim & Chang.
“It’s impossible that Oxy RB faked the lab results without Kim & Chang knowing about it. The law firm should also be held equally responsible,” he said.
The prosecution summoned former Oxy RB CEO Shin Hyun-woo twice for questioning about whether company officials knew the product was harmful. It also plans to summon former foreign officials.
Other companies
The prosecution is widening its investigation into other companies.
On Tuesday, two SK Chemicals officials were summoned for questioning over whether the company properly warned the manufacturers of the toxicity of PHMG.
Other manufacturers ― Aekyung, Lotte and Hom plus ― are the next targets in the investigation.
Following Oxy RB, the Aekyung product is being blamed for the second highest number of deaths. Lotte and Home plus sold various products in their retail stores and manufactured their own brands. The two companies apologized last month.
However, victims doubt that the companies will take full responsibility.
“All along, I had the feeling that SK Chemicals was being protected,” said an anonymous victim from Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province. She used the Aekyung product for which SK Chemicals supplied the chemicals.