Prosecutors questioned Shin Hyun-woo (68), former CEO of Oxy Reckitt Benckiser (currently, RB Korea), which manufactured and sold the humidifier disinfectant that caused lung disorders in 177 people (prosecutors figure) including 70 deaths.
On April 26, the Special Investigation Team at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office questioned three people as suspects including Shin and Choi, a senior researcher, who first manufactured and sold Oxy Ssakssak New Humidifier Duty (New Gaseupgi Dangbeon).
Shin appeared before the prosecutors and said, "I was not aware of the hazards (of the disinfectant). I will reveal the details (of whether the dangers of the product were verified before the product was released) before the prosecutors. I sincerely apologize to the victims." The victims held banners with the words, "Our Children Died an Unjust Death. Bring Them Back to Life!" and cried, "Punish him for murder!"
Prosecutors have secured evidence that Oxy may have overlooked the possibility of the hazards of their disinfectant even though they did not intend the death or diseases caused by the product. It was an e-mail that Choi received from a research center of a famous German chemical company at the time the product was being developed warning of the inhalation toxicity of a material used in the manufacturing of the disinfectant.
Oxy did not conduct tests to prevent such hazards despite being aware of the risks. Prosecutors plan to confirm such facts when they question Choi again on April 27.
On April 27, the prosecutors will summon and question Yi, CEO of CDI, which purchased the material from SK Chemical and sold it to Oxy. The prosecutors plan to confirm whether Yi was aware of the hazards of the disinfectant and whether he notified Oxy of such risks. The prosecutors are also contemplating an arrest warrant for Shin and Choi.
The prosecutors plan to summon and question relevant people who manufactured and sold other humidifier disinfectants including those by Wiselect (Lotte Mart), Homeplus (Homeplus), and Cefu (Butterfly Effect).
The grade-1 and 2 victims of humidifier disinfectants visited the investigation team on April 26 and asked questions about the investigation progress. An official from the prosecutors' office said, "The head of the investigation team, Chief Prosecutor Yi Cheol-hui faithfully answered their questions at an appropriate level and in the end, cried along with the victims as they made their heart-breaking appeal."
The victims of the humidifier disinfectant will launch a massive damage suit next month. The group representing the victims and their families held a press conference at the office of the Lawyers for a Democratic Society in Seocho-dong, Seoul this day and announced their plans to submit the first large-scale litigation on May 30.
The purpose of the lawsuit is to obtain an official apology from the manufacturers along with sufficient compensation for the damages of each individual, and also to create a fund for the victims. Victims who were categorized as "low risk of disease due to the use of humidifier disinfectants" in the first and second government investigations in 2014 and 2015 will also take part.
Former Oxy CEO Shin Hyun-woo at the Prosecutors' Office "I Did Not Know of the Hazards of the Disinfectant" Former CEO of Oxy, Shin Hyun-woo receives questions from the reporters as he appears at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office as a suspect in the deaths caused by humidifier disinfectants on April 26. Seo Seong-il
On April 26, the Special Investigation Team at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office questioned three people as suspects including Shin and Choi, a senior researcher, who first manufactured and sold Oxy Ssakssak New Humidifier Duty (New Gaseupgi Dangbeon).
Shin appeared before the prosecutors and said, "I was not aware of the hazards (of the disinfectant). I will reveal the details (of whether the dangers of the product were verified before the product was released) before the prosecutors. I sincerely apologize to the victims." The victims held banners with the words, "Our Children Died an Unjust Death. Bring Them Back to Life!" and cried, "Punish him for murder!"
Prosecutors have secured evidence that Oxy may have overlooked the possibility of the hazards of their disinfectant even though they did not intend the death or diseases caused by the product. It was an e-mail that Choi received from a research center of a famous German chemical company at the time the product was being developed warning of the inhalation toxicity of a material used in the manufacturing of the disinfectant.
Oxy did not conduct tests to prevent such hazards despite being aware of the risks. Prosecutors plan to confirm such facts when they question Choi again on April 27.
On April 27, the prosecutors will summon and question Yi, CEO of CDI, which purchased the material from SK Chemical and sold it to Oxy. The prosecutors plan to confirm whether Yi was aware of the hazards of the disinfectant and whether he notified Oxy of such risks. The prosecutors are also contemplating an arrest warrant for Shin and Choi.
The prosecutors plan to summon and question relevant people who manufactured and sold other humidifier disinfectants including those by Wiselect (Lotte Mart), Homeplus (Homeplus), and Cefu (Butterfly Effect).
The grade-1 and 2 victims of humidifier disinfectants visited the investigation team on April 26 and asked questions about the investigation progress. An official from the prosecutors' office said, "The head of the investigation team, Chief Prosecutor Yi Cheol-hui faithfully answered their questions at an appropriate level and in the end, cried along with the victims as they made their heart-breaking appeal."
The victims of the humidifier disinfectant will launch a massive damage suit next month. The group representing the victims and their families held a press conference at the office of the Lawyers for a Democratic Society in Seocho-dong, Seoul this day and announced their plans to submit the first large-scale litigation on May 30.
The purpose of the lawsuit is to obtain an official apology from the manufacturers along with sufficient compensation for the damages of each individual, and also to create a fund for the victims. Victims who were categorized as "low risk of disease due to the use of humidifier disinfectants" in the first and second government investigations in 2014 and 2015 will also take part.
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