Prosecution Seeks Prison Sentence for Former SK Chemical and Aekyung Industrial CEOs on Charges of Negligent Homicide in 'Humidifier Disinfectant' Case
Seoul Central District Court, Seocho-gu, Seoul. / Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@
View original image[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] SK Chemicals and Aekyung Industrial's former CEOs have been sentenced to imprisonment in connection with the sale of harmful "humidifier disinfectants."
On the 8th, at the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 23 (Presiding Judge Yoo Young-geun), during the final trial for former SK Chemicals CEO Hong Ji-ho and former Aekyung Industrial CEO Ahn Yong-chan on charges including professional negligence causing death, the prosecution requested a prison sentence of 5 years for each former CEO.
A prison sentence, like imprisonment, involves confinement in a correctional facility restricting physical freedom, but it does not include compulsory labor.
The prosecution also requested prison sentences ranging from 3 years and 6 months to 5 years for about 10 other SK Chemicals, Aekyung Industrial, and E-Mart officials who were jointly indicted.
Former CEO Hong was indicted on charges of manufacturing and selling products using raw materials for humidifier disinfectants despite knowing that these substances were harmful to the human body.
Former CEO Ahn was indicted on charges of causing death or injury to victims by forcibly launching products without properly conducting safety tests, despite being informed of the need for safety inspections of humidifier disinfectants using chloromethylisothiazolinone (CMIT) and methylisothiazolinone (MIT) as raw materials.
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At the time when the harmfulness controversy of humidifier disinfectants first arose in 2016, the two were exempted from punishment on the grounds that the toxicity of the substances was not clearly proven. However, after the harmfulness of CMIT and MIT was revealed, the prosecution reopened the investigation in 2018 and indicted the two in July last year.
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