다시 듣기 링크입니다. 

https://www.podbbang.com/channels/10101/episodes/24292858 

2022년 3월 2일 오전 7시 40분부터 15분여간 교통방송 영어방송인 TBS efm의 아침 시사 프로그램 This Morning에서 가습기살균제 관련 전화 인터뷰가 생방송으로 진행되었습니다. 진행자는 Henry Shinn입니다. 아래 내용입니다. 한국에 사는 외국인들을 위한 영어방송인데, 외국인들도 가습기살균제 참사문제에 대해 알게되는 계기가 되길 바랍니다.  

TBS elm (English speaking radio fm in Seoul) Humidifier Disinfectant disaster issue radio interview

1)     Date: March 2, Wednesday 07:40~07:55

2)     Topic; Humidifier Disinfectant issue 

3)     Guest speaker; Choi Yeyong(최예용), Director of the Asian Citizen’s Center for Environment and Health (환경보건시민센터) 

Introduction:

Henry:

For further discussion, we are joined by Choi Yeyong, Director of the Asian Citizen’s Center for Environmental and Health on the line with us. Hello, Choi Yeyong. 

Choi Yeyong: 

Hi, Good morning. 

Henry;

Could you briefly help our listeners recall the humidifier disinfectant case? Who were the victims?

Choi Yeyong: 

Early of 2011, several pregnant women were suffered unknown respiratory illness and more than a half of them died quite soon. 4 months epidemiology research by Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention revealed the cause humidifier disinfectants which had been sold nationwide since 1994 at least 48 different brands more than 10million bottles. In the beginning of this event, inpants and pregnants wowen cases have been reported but as time goes a lot of senior consumers and all ages have been reported by now. 

In 2019 and 2020, Special investigation commission of social disaster and scholars jointly surveyed and calculated the total number of victims nation wide of the humidifier disinfectant. Nearly 9 million consumers exposed to these deadly humidifier disinfectants and about 1 million got health damages and more than 20,000 dead. 

By now, 7,651 cases are reported to the goverment and among them 23% 1,742 cases are dead. Thus, less than 1% of the total damage cases are reported. So people say this disaster is the worst event since Korean War in Korea. 

Henry;

The case has finally opened doors for compensation to the victims in 11 years. Why did it take so long to come up to this stage? 

Choi Yeyong: 

First of all, the responsible producers I mean companies such as SK, OXY Reckitt, Aekyung, LG, Emart, Lotte Mart etc did not show their responsibility. They hide themselves behind the bars and bought experts not to be unveiled the toxicity of their products. Back up by large lawfirms, legal battles take long time. For the criminal charge only some of them like Oxy Reckitt and Lotte got guilty but many of them got not guilty such as SK, Aekyung and Emart and many of them are not even accused yet. 

By now, the companies have never tried to find out any single their consumers damage at all. This is the real fact of the well known Korean and multinational companies who are talking about ESG, Environment, Social and Government, nowadays.  

Secondly, Korean government has another responsibility of this disaster. LEE Myung Park and Park Kyun Hye governments tried to avoid their responsibility and now we have a relief law of supporting the victims. This law, however, supports only limited medical and funeral expences with narrow views about the various health damages.         

Henry;

Did the establishment of the mediation commission (조정위원회) help in coming up to this stage? What are the adjustments made as of now? 

Choi Yeyong: 

Public’s angor and pressure on this catastrophe made the companies having a table for negotiations of compensation with victim groups as of 10^thanniversary of this event unveiled last year 2021 August 31^st. This mediation commission is not a legal entity but gets high expectation solving the victim issues. 

Early of Fabruary last month, the commission showed its first draft of the mediation to the victim groups. 

The draft covers almost all registered victim cases even the cases failed at the relief system and they want to finish this process as soon as possible.    

Henry;

Some say the compensation is not enough. How much and to whom are the compensations expected to be offered? What are your thoughts about this?

Choi Yeyong: 

There are several serious problems of the draft submitted by the commission. First, the draft does not cover full medical expenses particularly for the serious injured cases such as lung transplation cases. Second, the minimum for the dead cases is too low like 50 million won. 

On this matter most Korean media reported the maximum price with 480 million won by the main title of their news report. Problem is that maximum price is for only 11 cases 1% and the lowest price is for more than 63% cases. The commission expalines that they just follow the result of the relief system but the relief system has a lot of limitation in terms of seriousness classification of the victims’s disease and injury. 

I think the role of the commission is very important. I believe the commission can finalize the matter of compensation for the victims when they accept and upgrade the draft according to the criticism and suggestion by the victims. 

Henry;

What is the overall response from the victims and their families?

Choi Yeyong: 

As we guess, most victims and their family members are exhausted for waiting the solution over 10 years, so I believe many of them expect a good solution from the commission to be finalized. To finish the compensation issue is eagered not only the victim side but also the company side as well. This humidifier disinfectants issue is very critical and risky for all stakeholders of the companies for their business.    

Henry;

What are the plans ahead now with this initial adjustment? How long will it take to reach its final stage?

Choi Yeyong: 

I guess there are negotiations between the commission and the companies with some upgraded draft. I expect the final negotiation table will be held including vicim groups in 1 or 2 weeks. Then there will be a process the agreed solution to be approved by all registered victims more than 6000 cases for next 3 months. 

If the solution approved by more than 50% victim then the compensation process will be conducted. For this we have been doing demos everyday lunch time in front of the commission at Kwang Hwa Moon. 

This is only by the companies but there is nothing from the government. So I expect that the new government should do fact finding of the government’s faults and should compensate government responsibility for the victims. That will be a real final stage of the solution for this catastrophe.  

Henry;

Thank you for today interview, we are going to talk more soon. 

Choi Yeyong:

Thanks for having me. 

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