Supreme Court overturns guilty verdicts of Aekyung and SK Chemical

[Anchor]

In 2011, reports of an unidentified lung disease began to emerge across the country, starting with pregnant women.

The cause was identified as humidifier disinfectants.

After a long legal battle, the Supreme Court issued its first ruling on civil liability last year.

Prior to this, in 2018, the Supreme Court confirmed the guilt of Oxy, stating that the main ingredient of the humidifier disinfectant produced by Oxy, 'PHMG', was harmful, yet it was used in the product, and that the label on the container claimed it was 'safe for humans'.

The prosecution also charged the former CEOs of SK Chemical and Aekyung Industry, who sold another humidifier disinfectant, as joint offenders with Oxy, and brought them to trial in 2019.

Today (12.26), the Supreme Court made a different ruling.

Reporter Yoon Ah-rim reports on the reasons behind this.

[Report]

The Supreme Court focused on the fact that the main ingredients of the humidifier disinfectants made by SK Chemical and Aekyung Industry are different from those of Oxy products.

While Oxy product has PHMG as its main ingredient, the products from SK Chemical and Aekyung Industry have CMIT/MIT as their main ingredients.

Therefore, it was determined that the products of each company could be seen as independently developed and released.

Since they are entirely separate products, the former CEOs of the two companies cannot be punished as joint offenders with Oxy, leading to the overturning of the lower court's ruling and the case being sent back to the Seoul High Court.

Among the 98 victims of this case, most used products from SK Chemical, Aekyung Industry, and Oxy together.

As a result, the appellate court that received the case again is expected to closely examine the causal relationship between the products they used and the victims' deaths.

[Nam Seong-wook/Victims' attorney: "When comparing the social impact and the severity of the results, it seems to be a ruling that is overly focused on formal logic...."]

The first trial had previously acquitted the defendants, stating there was no evidence that CMIT and MIT caused lung diseases.

However, the appellate court recognized the causal relationship between the products of these companies and lung diseases, as well as the joint offender relationship with Oxy and other parties whose guilt was confirmed.

But with the Supreme Court making a different ruling, this case, which resulted in over 90 casualties, will again be subject to the court's judgment.

Meanwhile, SK Chemical stated regarding today's ruling, "We respect the court's decision" and "We will continue our efforts for the recovery of victims."

KBS News, Yoon Ah-rim.