MPK mulls special law for Oxy scandal
By Lee Kyung-min
Kim Chong-in
The main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK) interim leader Kim Chong-in said Wednesday that the party would consider proposing a special law to investigate the makers of harmful humidifier disinfectants thoroughly and help the victims.
He suggested holding a hearing on involved company executives and government officials if necessary to determine the truth.
Kim’s remarks come amid the prosecution’s intensive probe into the scandal in which at least 146 were killed and many others have suffered from lung illnesses by inhaling disinfectants containing the toxic chemical.
“The government needs to tighten controls on these companies’ immorality to protect consumers, and the National Assembly needs to prepare measures as well,” Kim said.
He said that although the confirmed death toll reached 146, the government and the involved companies have dealt with the issue poorly.
Kim especially criticized Oxy Reckitt Benckiser, whose products allegedly killed more than 70 percent of the victims, for attempting to dodge responsibility.
“The ongoing investigation indicates that the company knew about the products’ possible harmfulness but kept producing and selling the product anyway. This is manslaughter and professional negligence resulting in injury,” he said. “Hiding or fabricating the study results, if proven true, is a criminal offense.”
Meanwhile, the prosecution said it secured testimony from Oxy’s senior researcher, surnamed Choi, that the company may have been aware of the danger of the deadly chemical used in the disinfectants, polyhexamethylene guanidine (PHMG), before selling them.
Choi was the key figure in developing and manufacturing the disinfectants.
According to the prosecution, Choi was the first person who became aware of the danger of PHMG through research and advice from overseas scholars. He told prosecutors that he reported this to his boss, the then research center chief, surnamed Kim.
But the company did not conduct additional toxicity tests, and began selling the products in 2001.
It is unclear whether Kim reported this to other executives of the company, including then CEO Shin Hyun-woo, who told prosecutors during Tuesday’s questioning that he did not know about the danger from the product.
In the meantime, families of the victims said Tuesday that they would file a class action suit against the government and the manufacturers.
According to Lawyers for a Democratic Society, a liberal lawyers’ group representing the victims, some 70 people have joined the suit, and it will file in court, May 30, after collecting more people by May 9.
Each of the victims will demand 30 to 50 million won in compensation, as well as the manufacturers’ official apology. They said they will also seek to set up a special fund for the victims.
Four victims had filed a suit against the government but lost in January last year, as the court cited a lack of evidence to prove the state’s responsibility.
“The situation has changed as the ongoing investigation has discovered many problems of the manufacturers and the government,” a member of the group said.