Mediation Committee Delivers Final Adjustment Plan... Some Companies Express "Additional Burden" Reluctance
Victims Also "Oppose Adjustment Plan, Ready for Litigation"
Government Criticized for Shifting to Private Organizations and Causing Victim Conflicts
More than 11 years have passed since the humidifier disinfectant disaster occurred, yet there is no sign of resolution. Both companies and victims show disagreements over the settlement proposal for the victims, indicating a prolonged deadlock. Among experts, the issue of government responsibility is emerging.
The Humidifier Disinfectant Disaster Settlement Committee recently delivered the final settlement proposal to the victims and nine companies including Oxy, Aekyung Industrial, E-Mart, Lotte Shopping, Homeplus, SK Chemicals, SK Innovation, LG Household & Health Care, and GS Retail. According to the proposal, ultra-severe victims requiring lung transplant surgery will receive up to 500 million KRW, and the bereaved families will receive between 200 million and 400 million KRW. It is reported that the companies need to secure a total fund of approximately 779.5 billion to 924 billion KRW.
Oxy and Aekyung oppose the settlement proposal, putting its implementation at risk. Oxy has already paid compensation and argues that the cost-sharing ratio among companies is inappropriate. Oxy has paid 364 billion KRW in the past through individual compensation and relief funds under special laws, but according to the proposal, it would have to pay an additional 500 billion KRW. Aekyung also expressed a cautious stance, stating they will act according to the settlement results, but the financial burden appears heavy.
The victims are also reportedly opposing the proposal. For the settlement to take effect, more than half of the 7,027 eligible victims must agree, which seems difficult. Among the 30 groups, 18 that did not participate in the committee oppose the proposal or call for further coordination. Park Hye-jung, representative of the Humidifier Disinfectant Environmental Exposure Confirmed Victims Union, said, "We absolutely oppose the settlement proposal and are prepared to engage in litigation."
Experts point out that the government has led to this frustrating situation. They cite issues such as ▲a structure that made fact-finding difficult ▲limitations of the settlement committee ▲and the representativeness of victim groups. Although a Special Investigation Committee on Social Disasters was established in 2017 for fact-finding, it also handled the Sewol ferry disaster, dispersing manpower and time. Professor Lee Deok-hwan of Sogang University’s Department of Chemistry said, "Even just the humidifier disinfectant disaster is estimated to have 3.5 to 4 million victims, requiring significant time and effort," adding, "This approach cannot properly identify responsibility."
Another problem is that the government created the settlement committee as a private organization, outsourcing the task without granting it authority to compel companies to compensate. There are talks that Oxy might withdraw from the domestic market in response to the proposal, but the committee has no power to intervene. Victims express anxiety over the government shifting responsibility to a private body.
The structure for hearing victims’ opinions has also led to division. Instead of identifying all victims and working on recovery, gathering opinions through group representatives has caused conflicts among victims. Professor Lee said, "Victim groups doubt each other’s representativeness and fail to unite," adding, "It is doubtful whether the government had the will to recover damages." If the humidifier disinfectant disaster settlement is not properly carried out, it could leave a bad precedent beyond mere failure in victim recovery.
Professor Kim Dae-jong of Sejong University’s Department of Business Administration said, "This government failed to fulfill its role in social conflict situations," warning, "If similar cases arise in the future domestically, the same mistakes could be repeated."
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