Assemblyman Seo Samsuk Revealed to Have Conducted Routine and Formal Reviews of Highly Toxic Pesticides

Over 400 Tons of Ozone-Depleting Substance 'Methyl Bromide (MB)' Used Annually

No Meetings Held by Pesticide Safety Review Committee for Safety Assessment

"Cancel MB Re-Registration, Strengthen Re-Registration Review and Safety Evaluation"

Seo Sam-seok, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, attended the National Assembly's audit on the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs held by the Agriculture, Forestry, Livestock, Food, and Maritime Affairs Committee on October 18, 2019, and questioned Minister Kim Hyun-soo of the Ministry of Agriculture./Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Seo Young-seo] It has been revealed that the Rural Development Administration has conducted conventional and formal reviews on highly toxic pesticides despite the risks they pose to public safety.

On the 8th, Seo Sam-seok, a member of the National Assembly's Agriculture, Forestry, Livestock, Food, and Maritime Affairs Committee (Democratic Party, Yeongam·Muan·Shinan), pointed out during the National Assembly inspection of the Rural Development Administration that “the re-registration of the highly toxic pesticide Methyl Bromide (MB), which threatens the safety and health of the public, must be canceled.”

According to the 'Usage Status of Highly Toxic Pesticide Methyl Bromide' submitted by the Rural Development Administration and the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, it was confirmed that more than 400 tons have been continuously used annually over the past five years (2016?2020).

MB, used as a fumigant for disinfection during import and export quarantine, was designated as an ozone-depleting substance under the Montreal Protocol in 1989. In 2008, the International Plant Protection Convention also recommended reducing or replacing MB for quarantine purposes.

According to the Montreal Protocol and the International Plant Protection Convention, three MB alternative agents?‘Ethyl Formate,’ ‘Phosphine,’ and ‘Ethanedinitrile’?have been developed and are in use, but MB continues to be used annually, making the transition to alternatives urgent.

According to the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency’s website and materials submitted to the lawmaker’s office, MB poses risks such as poisoning hazards and causing damage to agricultural products. In fact, poisoning accidents among MB fumigation workers occurred in 2008 and 2015.

In particular, last year, the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency was the first in the world to identify that ‘MB fumigation work negatively affects workers’ central nervous systems,’ publishing a paper in the international academic journal (PLOS ONE), warning of MB’s dangers.

Despite confirmed human toxicity, the Rural Development Administration has been consistent with conventional and formal re-registration reviews. According to Article 14, Paragraph 2, Item 1 of the ‘Pesticide Control Act,’ if there is a concern that the pesticide may harm humans or livestock even when following usage and handling instructions, the pesticide safety review committee may deliberate and cancel registration; however, no such deliberation has been conducted to date.

When MB was first registered in 1981, the Rural Development Administration was required to conduct efficacy and phytotoxicity tests under Article 6 of the ‘Pesticide Control Act.’ However, the Rural Development Administration explains that after 40 years, related data cannot be found.

Moreover, although the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency pointed out MB’s phytotoxicity to agricultural products, the ‘efficacy and phytotoxicity test reports’ were excluded from the re-registration reviews conducted three times between 2001 and 2021, making it impossible to verify test results.

Assemblyman Seo Sam-seok criticized, “If a fumigation worker using a highly toxic pesticide warned of risks has an accident, the employer could face criminal punishment under the ‘Serious Accident Punishment Act’ to be enforced from next year,” and added, “Measures to strengthen the review and safety evaluation of highly toxic pesticides should be promptly prepared through related legal amendments.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.