'Humidifier Disinfectant Evidence Concealment' Former SK Chemical Vice President Sentenced to Prison in First Trial

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Park Cheol, former vice president of SK Chemicals, who was indicted for destroying and concealing evidence related to the 'humidifier disinfectant' disaster, was sentenced to prison in the first trial.

On the 30th, Judge Joo Jin-am of the Criminal Division 15 at the Seoul Central District Court sentenced former Vice President Park to two years in prison on charges including evidence destruction and violation of the Special Act on the Humidifier Disinfectant.

The court pointed out, "He failed to properly ascertain the facts related to the humidifier disinfectant or provided inaccurate information, and attempted to conceal or destroy evidence."

Four SK Chemicals executives and employees who were indicted together were also sentenced to prison terms ranging from 10 months to 1 year and 6 months. No one, including former Vice President Park, was detained in court.

Former Vice President Park and others are accused of concealing the results of toxicity experiments conducted by Seoul National University from October to December 1994, when Yukong, the predecessor of SK Chemicals, first developed the humidifier disinfectant in Korea.

SK Chemicals stated that the product was released after safety was confirmed through inhalation toxicity experiments commissioned to Professor Lee Young-soon’s team at Seoul National University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, but when the media and the National Assembly requested the data, they said "the data no longer exists."

The prosecution judged that SK Chemicals executives and employees, including former Vice President Park, deliberately hid or discarded the data, and indicted them on charges including evidence destruction.

Former executives of SK Chemicals and Aekyung Industrial, who were involved in the humidifier disinfectant incident and brought to trial, were all acquitted in the first trial in January last year, and the second trial is ongoing.

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