"SK Must Apologize"... Humidifier Disinfectant Victims Demand Compensation

Victims' Side: "First Mediation Proposal Released Without Informing Majority of Victims"
"SK Group Must Apologize, Take Responsibility, and Compensate"

On the 28th, the victims' group of the humidifier disinfectant disaster held a protest in front of Exit 3 of Gwanghwamun Station in Seoul. Photo by Gong Byung-sun mydillon@

[Asia Economy Reporter Gong Byung-sun] “SK, stop killing the people!” Around 11:30 a.m. on the 28th, about 10 victims of the humidifier disinfectant disaster gathered in front of the SK headquarters located in Jongno-gu, Seoul, shouting at the 35-story high-rise building. They claimed that SK neglected safety testing of the humidifier disinfectant and demanded proper compensation. Park Hye-jung, representative of the Association of Victims Confirmed by Environmental Exposure to Humidifier Disinfectants, shouted, “SK must compensate the victims who died without safety testing,” adding, “Citizens, you could also become victims.”

On this day, the humidifier disinfectant victims’ group held a “Press Conference for Public Inquiry and Response Urging to the Mediation Committee for Relief of Humidifier Disinfectant Victims” at Exit 3 of Gwanghwamun Station and in front of the SK headquarters in Seoul. According to the Special Investigation Commission on Social Disasters (SIC) on the 16th, SK Group, which developed the humidifier disinfectant raw materials, sold the raw materials to Oxy PB, Homeplus, and Aekyung Industrial without conducting human safety reviews. It is known that the government-recognized number of humidifier disinfectant victims totals 4,291.

The group appealed that SK still refuses to compensate and ignores the victims. Lee Geun-cheol, representative of the National Solidarity, criticized, “Companies should produce products that do not harm the people, but SK’s humidifier disinfectant caused harm to many people,” and added, “Although the damage occurred long ago, SK still has not apologized to the deceased victims.”

Another protest participant said, “People who died unjustly or suffered enormous physical, mental, and economic damage are instead being driven to the streets,” and stated, “Chairman Choi must apologize to the victims, take responsibility, and provide satisfactory compensation.”

Humidifier Disinfectant Victims’ Group: "Mediation Committee commits tyranny by unilaterally notifying information"

Criticism was also raised against the Mediation Committee for Relief of Humidifier Disinfectant Victims (Mediation Committee). According to the Environmental Health Citizens’ Center on the 16th, the Mediation Committee prepared a draft mediation plan recommending compensation payments of up to 480 million KRW and delivered it to the victims’ group. However, the victims’ side protested that they were excluded from the Mediation Committee, that proper procedures were not followed, and that adequate compensation was difficult.

Representative Park said, “They are committing tyranny by unilaterally notifying information such as the registration status and membership size of the victims’ group, which are kept confidential,” and added, “The first draft mediation plan was produced after several meetings while most victims were unaware of the existence of the Mediation Committee, its legal basis and nature, or the subjects and amounts of mediation.”

They also criticized the government. Song Un-hak, standing representative of the Candlelight Succession Solidarity Ten Million Action, said, “Even President Moon Jae-in, who claimed to be the Candlelight President, could not wipe away the tears of the humidifier disinfectant disaster victims,” and stated, “The government is shirking responsibility by leaving a problem it should be accountable for to the ambiguous Mediation Committee.”

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