Victims of toxic chemicals call for safer society

Activists and families of toxic humidifier victims held a joint news conference on Tuesday with an advocacy group representing families of Samsung employees who contracted diseases or died, calling for a safer society.

At the joint event held outside Samsung’s headquarters in southern Seoul, the participants denounced “conglomerates’ profit-focused practices and the government’s inaction,” which they saw as the major reason behind hundreds of deaths related to industries.

“Samsung still refuses to reveal what toxic products it uses at its factories, citing that it is their business secret. We want Samsung to admit to its responsibility for the deaths, make a sincere apology as well as due compensation,” said Hwang Sang-ki, father of Samsung’s former employee Yumi who died of leukemia after working at a semiconductor plant.

“We believe that Samsung keeps on dodging its responsibility (to the victims) because the government failed to play its role (to protect its citizens,)” he said.

Yumi died of leukemia in 2007, which triggered debate over Samsung Electronics’ culpability for the deaths of 76 factory workers who died from leukemia, cancer and other illnesses allegedly due to their exposure to chemicals and radiation at factories.

Last year, Samsung set up a fund worth 100 billion won to be used to compensate their former workers suffering from illnesses. It also reached a landmark agreement in January with the victims to set up an independent committee to oversee working conditions, but declined to confirm the link between its working environment and such diseases.

The participants pointed to how the companies have commonly offered funds as goodwill gestures while evading their culpability.

Kang Chan-ho, father of a victim of deadly humidifier disinfectants and representative of the victims’ group, said that it was time for Korean society to act.

“It seems that no one is willing to take responsibility (for the deaths),” Kang told reporters outside exit 8 of Gangnam Station. “We will fight together with leukemia victims to make sure that our efforts to make a safer society are not futile.”

A total of 266 people have suffered lung-related illness due to their use of humidifier sterilizer, according to the victims’ group, mostly expecting mothers and children aged 5 or younger. Among them, 181 used products made by Reckitt Benckiser, 41 used Lotte products and 28 used Homeplus products. The investigation is underway, with Korean prosecutors questioning high-ranking officials at the consumer goods companies.

By Ock Hyun-ju (laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com)