[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jinyoung] A total of 3,916 consumers who used baby bathtubs containing environmental hormones exceeding the standard by 612 times will receive compensation of 50,000 KRW each as consolation money.
The Korea Consumer Agency's Consumer Dispute Mediation Committee announced on the 27th that a group dispute mediation filed by consumers who used the baby bathtub against the manufacturer and seller for damages was partially upheld, and each household will receive 50,000 KRW in consolation money.
The problematic product was sold at Daiso as a "Drainable Baby Bathtub" for 5,000 KRW and gained popularity. However, in December 2020, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy’s National Institute of Technology and Standards ordered a recall after detecting the phthalate plasticizer DINP, an environmental hormone, in the product’s drain plug at levels exceeding the standard by more than 612 times. Phthalate-based plasticizers may cause liver damage and reduced reproductive function. Consumers filed for group dispute mediation, claiming that babies who used the product experienced abnormal symptoms such as skin rashes.
The committee recognized that the manufacturer, Daehyun Chemical Industry, changed the PVC raw material used to make the drain plug during the baby bathtub manufacturing process but failed to conduct additional testing, ultimately producing and supplying products that did not meet the "Common Safety Standards for Children's Products."
The seller, Gihyeon Industry, was also held jointly responsible, as it was closely involved in the production process even before delivery.
However, the committee decided not to hold the seller, Asung Daiso, responsible, as it was difficult to acknowledge circumstances indicating that they knew or could have known about the change in manufacturing materials.
The committee also recommended compensating other consumers who did not apply for group dispute mediation under the same terms.
The committee stated, "This decision is significant in that it strengthens corporate social responsibility in areas closely related to consumers' living environments in an era that values ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) management, and acknowledges the responsibility to compensate for mental distress of consumers who used bathtubs in which DINP exceeding the standard was detected, even though the harmfulness of phthalate plasticizers has not been conclusively proven."
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