Samsung Electronics' Radiation Exposure 'Injury' Judgment...Is the Serious Accident Act applicable?

Nuclear Safety and Security Commission "Not Working"...poor management responsibility cutting board
Samsung Electronics Consults 4 Large Law Firms..."It's not a major disaster."
Labor Department Finalizes Major Disaster..."Injuries, not diseases".

[Anchor]
In May, the Ministry of Employment and Labor concluded that the exposure of two Samsung Electronics semiconductor workers to radiation should be viewed as "injury" rather than a "disease."

It was judged to be a serious accident under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, but the possibility of being investigated under the Serious Accident Punishment Act cannot be ruled out.

I'm a reporter for the department head.

[Reporter]
In May, two workers were exposed to radiation at Samsung Electronics' Giheung plant.

Exposure levels have exceeded safety standards up to 188 times, and one is on the verge of having to amputate his finger.

An investigation by the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission revealed that the accident occurred because the safety device did not work properly, and the management's poor management responsibility was put on the cutting board.

Samsung Electronics, which has been consulted by four large law firms, has argued that the accident is not a serious accident under the Occupational Safety and Health Act because it is a "disease" rather than an "injury."

[Yoon Taeyang / Chief Safety Officer of Samsung Electronics (10th, National Audit of Science and Defense): There are many opinions on illness and injury. We will receive the interpretation of the relevant laws and regulations for that part.]

However, after more than a month of review, the Ministry of Labor confirmed that the accident was finally concluded as a serious disaster.

With the advice of three medical-related academic societies and three law firms, it was judged that the accident was not a "disease" but an "injury."

Accordingly, a fine of 30 million won was imposed on Samsung Electronics for not reporting the serious accident.


[Ministry of Employment and Labor official: We investigate a serious accident because we judged it to be a serious accident. If there is a violation of the law accordingly, we will take action.]

With the conclusion that the accident was an "injury," it is impossible to rule out the possibility that Samsung Electronics will be investigated under the Serious Accident Punishment Act, not the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

The Serious Disaster Act applies to two or more injured people who need treatment for more than six months, and if the affected workers are not cured by the end of next month, they will be subject to the law.

The Ministry of Labor said it will conduct a serious accident investigation and industrial safety and health supervision of Samsung Electronics to see if it violates the law.

I'm the manager of YTN.

Edit Video;Juyeon Lee
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