Workers Blame Manufacturing Solvent for Hankook Factory Deaths

Korea’s Ministry of Labour is investigating the relationship between the working environment at two of Hankook’s factories and the sudden deaths of 14 plant employees over a 17-month period. The deaths in question occurred between May 2006 and October 2007, and co-workers of the deceased employees, all workers at the company’s South Korean factories in Daejeon and Geumsan, North Chungcheong Province, claim the deaths can be linked to a toxic chemical solvent used during the manufacturing process – a claim Hankook reports it has examined but as yet remains unverified.

This news was published by the Korea Times on November 6, and according to the paper several causes of death have been officially listed, including lung cancer, accidental death and suicide. Seven of the workers died of heart attacks. In addition to the fatalities, a number of other factory workers have also reported experiencing dizziness after completing their shift, and it has been suggested that these health problems have their genesis in the solvent HV-250, a chemical that evaporates at room temperature and is thus easily inhaled. Tests conducted on mice indicate that, when exposed to HV-250, the levels of creatine phosphokinase – an enzyme that is present when the heart is stressed – are found to be seven times greater than in rodents not exposed to the solvent.

Workers allege that Hankook has to date ignored their complaints about the substance, and families of the deceased have further stated the tyremaker has attempted to distance itself from any responsibility by suggesting that the causes of death are attributable to personal health management issues. One employee’s widow has accused the company of collecting personal details about her husband and then claiming he had a prior susceptibility to heart ailments.

Hankook has yet to officially respond to these allegations, however company press relations agent Kim Ji-hoon stated that Hankook was not the only tyre manufacturer to use HV-250 in its production process. He added that the company has been researching the relationship between the solvent and its affect on the human body since May, but has yet to draw any definite conclusions. Mr. Kim further commented that he had no knowledge of any instances where Hankook had collected personal information on employees without their consent.

If the Ministry of Labour does find a connection between the chemical and the deaths of the 14 employees, their families and also those workers whose health has been affected may be recognised as industrial disaster victims. The Ministry will also scrutinise whether Hankook has correctly followed governmental guidelines on employee education and management rules, and will penalise the company accordingly if they have not.