[Exclusive] Gov't investigates Samsung Electronics radiation exposure incident

[Anchor]

About four months ago, there was a radiation exposure incident at Samsung Electronics.

Recently, the government has classified this incident as a serious accident and has begun a full investigation, and KBS has obtained the basis for this judgment.

This is an exclusive report by reporter Choi Yoo-kyung.

[Report]

In May, two Samsung Electronics workers who suffered from radiation exposure are still receiving treatment.

[Lee Yong-kyu/Samsung Electronics radiation exposure victim: "I am hospitalized, and my junior is currently receiving outpatient treatment. They are only doing skin regeneration treatment on their hand..."]

Samsung Electronics claims that this is a 'disease' rather than an 'injury' and that there are only two victims, so it does not qualify as a serious accident.

They cited the advice of four major law firms as their basis, but the government's judgment was different.

Here are the responses received by the Ministry of Employment and Labor from six external organizations.

All six organizations judged it as an 'injury'.

They viewed it as similar to a 'fracture caused by a traffic accident' since the victims were exposed to external factors in a one-time incident, resulting in immediate harm.

They also rebutted Samsung's claims, stating that there is a 'legal contradiction'.

According to Samsung's argument, even if an injury leads to a disease, it would not qualify as a serious accident, ultimately allowing the employer to evade sanctions, creating a gap in the law.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor is currently investigating whether there has been a violation of the Industrial Safety and Health Act, and if the victims' treatment continues until the end of next month, it could lead to an investigation under the Serious Accident Punishment Act, which carries heavier penalties.

[Kim Joo-young/Member of the National Assembly Environment and Labor Committee: "Although it is late, they have made the right judgment. I will be very interested in how the Serious Accident Punishment Act will be applied in the future."]

The Chief Safety Officer of Samsung Electronics is scheduled to appear as a witness at the National Assembly's audit tomorrow (10.22) to respond.

This is KBS News, Choi Yoo-kyung.