Prosecutors consider murder charge in toxic humidifier disinfectant probe

Korea Herald 2016 2 17

South Korean prosecutors are speeding up their probe into the toxic humidifier disinfectants that killed at least 95 people and injured 221, mostly pregnant women and children.

The prosecution on Monday searched premises of toxic humidifier disinfectant manufacturers and distributors, and secured product supply records and ingredient analysis documents. The investigation includes local companies HomePlus and Lotte Mart, and manufacturer Reckitt Benckiser, which produced Oxy Ssak Ssak, the product most-often used by the victims.

This is the third search following others in October and earlier this month.

Investigators are looking into whether the manufacturers and distributers had known in advance the harmful nature of the products' ingredients.

Eight toxic humidifier disinfectant manufacturers and distributors were indicted and referred to the prosecutors’ office in September last year on charges of manslaughter and professional negligence resulting in injury.

Prosecutors are reportedly considering increasing the charges to murder by willful or advertent negligence.

“There is reportedly circumstantial evidence that some companies had known the harmful nature of the ingredients. If this is true, this cannot be merely dereliction of duty but willful crime,” sources said.

Some families of victims have filed petitions to the authorities to seek murder charges against the manufacturers.
 

Yonhap

Reckitt Benckiser was not immediately available for comment when contacted by The Korea Herald.

In 2011, the government discovered the “significant association” between lung damage and the humidifier disinfectant use after four pregnant women died of mysterious lung diseases.

Of 530 users initially investigated, only 221 were confirmed to have been harmed by the disinfectants.

Last year, an additional 310 potential victims made health complaints to the Environment Ministry to join the public health probe into the impact of humidifier disinfectant. Of this number, 38 have died.

While the government has stopped accepting such health complaints from this year, civic groups urged it to continue collecting health reports.

According to the Asian Citizen’s Center for Environment and Health, 202 new potential victims reported their cases to the civic group last month and eight of them have died.

From 2011 to January this year, a total of 1,484 individuals reported potential cases to both the government and civic groups, and 226 of them have died, added the center. Of the number who died, only 221 were officially confirmed as health casualties by the government under its strict criteria.

Of the confirmed victims, 14 underwent lung transplants and two died from the aftereffects of to the surgery, according to the center. These victims shouldered an average of 170 million won ($140,000) of medical costs from the surgery.

The government currently provides limited aid for medical and funeral costs only to those who are confirmed to have suffered health problems because of the devices.