Ex-Aekyung chief gets 30-month jail term over humidifier sterilizer scandal

Civic group members hold a rally at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, Aug. 1, demanding SK Chemicals, Aekyung Industrial and Oxy Reckitt Benckiser Korea take responsibility for health hazards caused by their toxic humidifier sterilizers. Korea Times file

By Bahk Eun-ji

A local court has sentenced Ko Kwang-hyun, a former chief executive of Aekyung Industrial, to two years and six months in prison for covering up company data related to the toxicity of its humidifier sterilizers.

Ko is the first to be convicted after the prosecution reopened investigations into the deadly humidifier disinfectant scandal late last year, following new findings about toxic chemicals made and used by SK Chemicals, Aekyung Industrial and E-mart.

“Ko kept claiming his innocence, making unconvincing claims that his subordinates destroyed evidence voluntarily,” the Seoul Central District Court said in its ruling Friday.

“The offences Ko committed are serious as he destroyed evidence and thus disrupted the investigation into the manufacture and distribution of the toxic detergents, which caused a huge social problem,” the court said.

Along with Ko, the court gave a one-year prison term to a former senior executive vice president of the company, identified by his surname Yang, and a one year term suspended for two years to another company official, surnamed Lee, for participating in the cover-up.

They were indicted for deleting documents about the toxicity of sterilizers from computers at the company and its research center dating back to 2016 when the prosecution launched an investigation into disinfectants produced by other companies with different chemicals.

Back in the 2016 probe, prosecutors focused on products containing polyhexamethylene guanidine (PHMG), such as those from Oxy Reckitt Benckiser Korea, Lotte Mart and Homeplus. Officials from the companies were indicted and received up to six year jail terms.

At the time there were insufficient studies to prove a causal relationship between the chemicals used for Aekyung's products ― chloromethylisothiazolinone (CMIT) and methylisothiazolinone (MIT) ― and the health effects suffered by the victims.

However, additional studies found a causal relationship between the two chemicals. The environment ministry submitted related data to the prosecution last November, and prosecutors launched another investigation at the end of 2018.

The probe found companies manufactured and sold the products without properly ascertaining their toxicity or informing consumers of possible health hazards. It also discovered that Aekyung had destroyed evidence.

Following the most recent investigation, the prosecution indicted 34 people. SK Chemicals' former President Hong Ji-ho was arrested on charges of professional negligence resulting in injuries to and the deaths of hundreds of people.

All 34, including Hong, denied the charges and claimed they hadn't known about the toxicity of the materials.

The humidifier disinfectant scandal came into the spotlight after four pregnant women died of lung problems in 2011.

According to government data as of July 19, 6,476 people have been affected by the disinfectants and 1,421 of them died. Civic groups claim there are many more cases that have not been reported to the government.