Former and current officials of Seokpo Smelter are not guilty in the first trial of 'Nakdonggang River Cadmium Leakage'.

Former and current CEO and officials of the Yeongpoong Seokpo Smelter in Bonghwa, North Gyeongsang Province, who were put on trial for leaking heavy metals into the Nakdonggang River, were acquitted in the first trial.

The Daegu District Court acquitted seven people, including Lee Kang-in, former CEO of the Youngpoong Seokpo Smelter, and a smelter corporation, who were handed over to trial on charges of violating the Environmental Crimes Enforcement Act.

The court explained that it is difficult to say that the defendants, including former representative Lee, intentionally leaked cadmium, even though it cannot be said that they did their best.

Former representative Lee and smelter officials have been accused of intentionally leaking cadmium into the Nakdonggang River more than a thousand times since 2015.