Residents' Joint Lawsuit on Thyroid Cancer Near Nuclear Plant Also Loses in Second Trial

"Thyroid Cancer Is Not a Specific Disease Caused by a Particular Etiology"

In the second trial of a damages claim lawsuit filed against Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) by victims and their families diagnosed with thyroid cancer while living near nuclear power plants operated by KHNP, including Gori, Yeonggwang, Uljin, and Wolseong, the plaintiffs lost again.

The second trial court, like the first trial, ruled that thyroid cancer is not a specific disease caused by a particular pathogen with a clear cause-and-effect relationship.

Busan District Court.

The Civil Division 5 of the Busan High Court (Presiding Judge Kim Ju-ho) held a hearing on the appeal of the damages claim lawsuit filed by about 2,800 thyroid cancer victims living near nuclear power plants (618 patients who underwent surgery and their families) against KHNP on the 30th and dismissed the appeal.

The court cited the first trial ruling in full and stated, "There is no sufficient evidence to recognize an epidemiological correlation between the occurrence of thyroid cancer and the radiation emissions from the nuclear power plants involved in this case, nor is there sufficient evidence to recognize an individual causal relationship."

The court judged, "Thyroid cancer is not a specific disease caused by a particular pathogen with a clear cause-and-effect relationship."

It added, "The causes and mechanisms of occurrence are complex, and acquired factors can act in combination to cause it, and it can occur due to causes other than radiation exposure."

The court stated, "The radiation exposure dose of residents near the nuclear power plants is much lower than the dose limit for the general public, and it is even lower than the annual effective dose at the boundary of the restricted area of the nuclear power plant site," adding, "The plaintiffs' exposure dose is much lower than the natural radiation exposure dose humans receive from the ground, space, food, and so on."

Furthermore, the court judged, "The plaintiffs' claims are merely independent opinions, and there is no evidence to recognize such claims as facts."

Earlier, the first trial court ruled in February last year that "the whole-body radiation exposure dose of residents near the nuclear power plants is lower than the relief standards under public law, there is no fact that environmental pollution caused by radioactive materials discharged by KHNP occurred, and it cannot be considered that the plaintiffs were exposed to radiation exceeding the tolerable limit," and ruled against the plaintiffs.

After the ruling was announced, the Thyroid Cancer Joint Litigation Citizens Support Group held a press conference in front of the Busan District Court and stated that "the court has ignored the suffering of nuclear power plant area residents who suffer from lifelong diseases" and announced their intention to immediately appeal to the Supreme Court.

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