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Sat, September 23, 2023 | 03:37
-------------------------
Union to sue FedEx over anthrax case
탄저균 배달사고 재발방지 위해 SOFA 개정 추진
Posted : 2015-06-16 16:54
Updated : 2015-06-16 20:39
Jun Ji-hye
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By Jun Ji-hye

The Korean Public Service and Transport Workers' Union is considering legal action against FedEx Korea for the company's alleged failure to take safety measures in its delivery of live anthrax samples to a military lab in Korea from the United States.

"FedEx delivered live anthrax samples through the general delivery service network, a violation of laws such as the Aviation Security Act," Jung Chan-moo, who is in charge of air and sea transport of the union, told The Korea Times, Tuesday. "It did not notify transport workers of the danger, and did not offer safety equipment, either. This seems to have violated the Industrial Safety and Health Act."

He noted whether or not the company knew about the delivery of the hazardous material will be key to deciding the firm's legal responsibility.

"The company said all it did was just deliver parcels, and it did not know about the samples. But we believe there is greater possibility that the firm knew it, given FedEx is one of the major contractors of the Pentagon," he said. "The firm has not made an apology although it directly threatened the safety of Korean citizens and workers."

Employees of FedEx Korea belong to the transport workers' union, an affiliate of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), the nation's second-largest umbrella union.

Park Seok-min, a senior official at the KCTU, said that his organization is also planning to urge the government to take legal responsibility for its response to the incident.

"We will especially check on the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport," he said.

Park noted that FedEx issued a ban to prohibit its workers from media interviews right after the mistaken shipment was made public on May 28.

Park is in charge of security and unification issues including those related to United States Forces Korea (USFK).

The world's top package courier accidently delivered live anthrax samples for military experiments across the United States, as well as other countries including Canada, Australia and South Korea, according to the Pentagon.

The Korea Times has asked FedEx about the route the sample that was brought to Korea, what was written on the invoice for the goods, whether the sample was separated from ordinary parcels, and what kind of measures are being taken to prevent a recurrence of the incident. But the company declined to elaborate beyond its statement.

Follow Jun Ji-hye on Twitter @TheKopJihye



탄저균 배달사고 재발방지 위해 SOFA 개정 추진

정부소식통…생물학제 유입시 검역·통보절차 확립

지난 4월 미국 군(軍) 연구소에서 부주의로 살아있는 탄저균이 주한미군 오산 공군기지로 배송된 사고와 관련해 정부가 재발방지 대책의 하나로 주한미군 주둔군지위협정(SOFA) 개정을 추진키로 한 것으로 전해졌다.

정부 소식통은 16일 정부 당국이 최근 이 같은 내용의 대책을 국회에 보고한 것으로 안다고 전했다.

SOFA 개정시에는 탄저균 같은 생물학 작용제의 유입 시부터 검역 및 통보절차를 정립하는 것이 핵심내용이 될 것으로 보인다.

한민구 국방장관은 14일 주한미군의 생물무기 탐지와 대응능력 향상을 위한 '주피터 프로그램'과 관련 '정보 공유와 (실험과 반입 등의) 절차 투명성이 더 잘 협조 돼야 한다'고 밝혔다.

백승주 국방부 차관도 지난 1일 '탄저균과 같은 위험 물질이 사전신고 등 적절한 절차를 거치지 않고 국내에 반입돼 우려하는 일이 반복되지 않도록 보완 조치가 필요하다'면서 '주한미군을 비롯해 유관부처들과 협조해 법적, 제도적 보완책을 마련하겠다'고 밝힌 바 있다.

현행 SOFA 규정으로는 이번과 같은 사고의 재발을 예방하거나 적시에 조치를 취하기에는 크게 미흡하다는 지적이 적지 않다.

SOFA 9조에서는 미군에 탁송된 군사화물에 대해서는 세관검사를 면제하도록 돼 있다.

제26조에서는 '질병의 관리와 예방 기타 공중보건, 의료, 위생과 수의업무의 조정에 관한 공동관심사는 합동위원회에서 양국 정부의 관계 당국이 이를 해결한다'고 규정하고 있지만, 규정이 너무 포괄적이고 '즉시 대응'이 어렵다는 지적이 나온다.

정부 소식통은 또 오산기지로의 탄저균 배달사고와 관련, '주한미군은 생물학 작용제 유전자 분석장비 시험을 위해 탄저균 샘플을 요청했던 것'이라면서 '액체 탄저균 샘플이 냉동상태로 3중 포장돼 민간업체를 통해 배송됐다'고 전했다.

보통 탄저균은 비활성 상태로 주한미군 연구소로 보내져 배양 실험을 통해 균을 살려내 각종 제독 실험을 하는 것으로 알려졌지만, 당시 살아있는 탄저균이 오산기지로 배송됐고 실험요원 22명이 노출됐었다. (연합뉴스)
Emailjjh@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
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