Humidifier disinfectant victim "collapses justice" in conviction

The victims of the humidifier disinfectant disaster and environmental groups condemned the Supreme Court for destroying the original court that convicted the manufacturer and seller of the disinfectant.

The Environmental Health Civic Center held an emergency press conference at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul today (26th) and criticized that judicial justice has collapsed, saying the Supreme Court is siding with SK Chemicals and Aekyung Industries, not victims.

They said the Supreme Court's absurd ruling could not exonerate companies and said they would actively pursue subsequent trials to ensure reasonable criminal liability was imposed.

Earlier, the Supreme Court reversed the court case, which sentenced Hong Ji-ho, former CEO of SK Chemicals, and Ahn Yong-chan, former CEO of Aekyung Industrial, to four years in prison, respectively, and returned the case to the Seoul High Court.

The Supreme Court explained that it is difficult to say that former representative Hong and others knew the dangers of humidifiers in advance, and that it has not been properly determined whether there is a causal relationship between the violation of the duty of care and the death and injury of the victims.