Seoul Metro Blood Cancer Cluster Outbreak... Oh Se-hoon "Thorough Investigation"

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon has ordered a thorough investigation and the establishment of measures to prevent recurrence in relation to the cluster outbreak of blood cancer among workers at Seoul Transportation Corporation.

According to Seoul City, Mayor Oh held a meeting on the morning of the 5th and requested the corporation to conduct a fact-finding investigation and prepare countermeasures.

It is reported that Mayor Oh instructed not to take a confrontational or distressing approach during industrial accident processing or litigation by blaming workers or assigning responsibility like a private company, but rather to handle the matter with a sense of responsibility as a Seoul city public enterprise and protect the workers. He emphasized that it is more important for the management to actively identify the causes rather than taking a defensive stance.

Additionally, he ordered an epidemiological investigation to identify the cause of this incident and the establishment of a related organization.

According to the labor union, it has been confirmed that eight workers at Seoul Transportation Corporation were diagnosed with blood cancer. Seven workers working at the vehicle maintenance shop were diagnosed with blood cancer, and among them, three have died. One worker involved in mechanical equipment maintenance was also diagnosed with blood cancer.

There is speculation that the use of numerous organic solvents by maintenance workers during their work process may have caused the blood cancer outbreak. According to the disease certificate of one worker whose industrial accident was approved, it is stated that "while performing painting cleaning work for a long period, it is presumed that there was continuous exposure to various harmful chemicals, and a significant causal relationship between the work and the disease is recognized."