Korea humidifier Enterprise death case was a class action suit: claim about 60 million Yuan-humidifier, Korea-IT information
According to the Korea media reported recently, Korea "humidifier fungicide death" victims and their families a total of 436 people filed a class action suit, demanding Korea Government and the national more than 20 humidifier fungicides to create enterprises and vendors to compensate more than 11.2 billion won (some 60 million yuan).
Xinhua News Agency stationed in Korea reporters Wang Jiahui introduced recently, Korea "humidifier fungicide death" victims and their families a total of 436 people bring a collective civil action to court, asked Korea Governments as well as national as Reckitt, SK chemical fungicide 22 humidifier manufacturing, manufacturers and suppliers of raw materials, a total of 22 companies were about more than 11.2 billion won of the total financial compensation.
Among them, the plaintiff asked the defendant to provide 50 million won compensation of the deceased, or about $ 275,000; to provide 30 million won compensation for victims suffering from lung disease, or about $ 165,000; to provide 10 million won in damages to the families of the victims, about equivalent to 55000 Yuan.
Biggest bone of contention is whether the proceedings will determine the country take responsibility for the incident. According to the Korea media reports, defence counsel said the Government of failing to protect citizens from harmful substances the obligation and therefore should bear the compensation responsibility. In addition, there is another focus of the maximum humidifier fungicide manufacturer is involved is the United Kingdom's Reckitt Benckiser Group, as a foreign company it is also cause for concern. According to Yonhap, Seoul Central Prosecutor's Office special investigations unit said 18th will in turn call this week from its former and current senior staff for investigation.
2011 Korea and many of them die due to suffering from lung disease of unknown origin, because most of the dead are pregnant, once in Korea social panic. Korea disease management Department of the Ministry of health and welfare identified, humidifier fungicides is the cause of lung disease of unknown cause. South Korea's Yonhap News Agency said, up to now, the Government official statistics for humidifier fungicide deaths, bringing the total to 239.
In April 2011, the Korea receiving 17 patients with pneumonia of unknown causes in a hospital in Seoul, which happen more than maternal pulmonary fibrosis, dead for up to 9 people. Zhihou, inexplicable pneumonia occurred, and have taken many lives. Korea Government said in August of the same year, added to the humidifier in water, and spread by spraying fungicides may be the culprit. Toxicity test results found that biocidal products, under certain conditions, can lead to lung damage. According to incomplete statistics, humidifier fungicide killed more than 200 people, with thousands more injured.
According to the Korea media reports, use fungicide manufacturer Reckitt products accounted for most of the victims. In January of this year, Korea group of prosecutors set up a special investigation into the incident, and initiate a systematic investigation of this incident. Special Investigation Group, prosecutors disclosed the suspected death toll up to of Reckitt's staff later found, which since 2001 has been received on the use of biocidal products cause side effects such as respiratory difficulties after the report, but has not taken any measures. Reckitt also tried to hide product toxicity testing results.
Reckitt is United Kingdom commodities giant, its brands include Durex, such as dettol. On May 2, the Reckitt held a press conference for the first time, apologized to the public, and the compensation scheme.
Reckitt Korea subsidiary Chief Safdar said, the company would compensate Korea Government identified the victim, committed 10 billion won (about 57 million yuan) unless additional humanitarian funds for compensation of the victims. It is Reckitt Benckiser in death 5 years later held a press conference for the first time, "humidifier fungicide lethal events" a formal apology.
Safdar said, "Reckitt Korea branch to all lungs damaged by the humidifier fungicide sincere apologies to the victims and their families. ”
However, for Reckitt's apology, unacceptable to the families of the victims. In their view, the company's move comes as Korea prosecutors restarted investigation and Korea people resist the Reckitt product movement made the decision under pressure.
Cui Shenghuan, head of the Federation said the victims ' families, and that this apology is in order to avoid investigation, we cannot accept such an apology. In the past 5 years Reckitt has ignored victims ' grief, ignore the voices and apologized to the families of the victims. Now being investigated Federation of families of the victims refused to accept apology in this case.
In fact, the families of the victims in 2012 that take companies to court, but prosecutors with difficult to confirm causality by, decided to "additional time to terminate the prosecution." It will also enable the event into a fog of victims can be found everywhere and cannot find the perpetrators. The latest class action lawsuit and how it will develop, we will continue to focus on.
韩国加湿器致死案企业遭集体诉讼：索赔约6000万元 - 加湿器,韩国 - IT资讯
据韩国媒体报道，近日，韩国“加湿器杀菌剂致死事件”受害者及其家属共436人向法院提起集体诉讼，要求韩国政府及全国20多加湿器杀菌剂制造企业和销售商赔偿超过112亿韩元（约合人民币6000万元）。
新华社驻韩国记者王家辉介绍，近日，韩国“加湿器杀菌剂致死事件”受害者及其家属共436人向法院提起集体民事诉讼，要求韩国政府以及全国像利洁时、SK化工等22家加湿器杀菌剂制造、销售商及原料供给商等共22家企业进行总计约112多亿韩元的经济赔偿。
其中，原告要求被告向死者提供5000万韩元赔偿，约合27.5万人民币；向患有肺部疾病的受害者提供3000万韩元赔偿，约合16.5万人民币；向受害者家属提供1000万韩元的精神损失费，约折合55000元人民币。
此次诉讼最大的争议点就在于是否会判定国家对此次事件承担责任。据韩国媒体报道，有辩护律师表示，政府没有尽到保护国民免于受到有害物质侵害的义务，因此应当负有赔偿的责任。此外，还有另外一个关注的焦点就是此次涉及的最大加湿器杀菌剂制造商是英国的利洁时集团，作为一个外企它也备受关注。据韩联社报道，首尔中央地检署特别调查组18日表示将从本周起依次传唤其前任、现任相关高层人员进行调查。
2011年韩国有多人因罹患不明原因的肺病而死亡，因为死者大都是孕产妇，一度在韩国社会引发恐慌。韩国保健福祉部疾病管理本部经调查后认定，加湿器杀菌剂是导致不明肺病的元凶。韩联社表示，截至目前，政府正式统计的因加湿器杀菌剂事件死亡者总数为239人。
2011年4月，韩国首尔某医院接收17名不明原因肺炎患者，其中多名孕产妇出现肺纤维化，死亡者多达9人。之后，莫名的肺炎接连发生，并陆续夺走多人性命。韩国政府同年8月表示，加在加湿器水中，并通过雾化扩散开来的杀菌剂可能是罪魁祸首。毒性试验结果发现，一些杀菌剂产品，在特定条件下，能导致肺细胞损伤。据不完全统计，加湿器杀菌剂事件造成超过200人死亡，另有上千人受伤。
据韩国媒体报道，使用杀菌剂制造企业利洁时产品的消费者在受害者中占比最多。今年1月，韩国检方成立事件特别调查组，还是着手对这一事件进行系统调查。检方特别调查组披露，对涉嫌致死人数最多的利洁时的职员调查后发现，该企业从2001年开始就已经陆续收到关于使用杀菌剂产品后导致呼吸困难等副作用的报告，但是一直没有采取措施。利洁时公司还企图隐藏产品毒性的检测结果。
利洁时是英国日用品巨头，旗下品牌包括杜蕾斯、滴露等。5月2号，利洁时首次召开了记者会，向公众致歉，并提出了赔偿方案。
利洁时韩国子公司负责人萨夫达尔说，该公司将赔偿韩国政府认定的受害者，承诺建立100亿韩元（约合5700万元人民币）的人道主义基金用于赔偿不在此列的追加受害者。这也是利洁时公司在致死事件发生5年之后首次召开记者会，就“加湿器杀菌剂致死事件”正式道歉。
萨夫达尔说：“利洁时韩国分公司向所有肺部因加湿器杀菌剂受损的受害者及其家属致以由衷的歉意。”
不过，对于利洁时的道歉，受害者家属表示无法接受。在他们看来，该公司此举是在韩国检方重启调查和韩国民众发起抵制利洁时产品运动的压力下做出的决定。
受害者家属联合会负责人崔胜焕表示，这种道歉是为了免于被调查，我们不能接受这样的道歉。在过去5年里，利洁时一直无视受害者的巨大悲痛，无视受害者及家属道歉的呼声。现在该公司正在被调查受害者家属联合会拒绝接受在这种情况下的道歉。
事实上，受害者家属在2012年曾将相关企业告上法庭，但检方以难以确认因果关系为由，决定“附加时限终止起诉”。此举也让该事件陷入了被害者俯拾皆是而找不到加害者的迷雾之中。那么最新的集体诉讼又将如何发展，我们也将继续关注。