hankyoreh

The International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health (IJOEH) picked a Korean to appear on the cover of its latest edition. Hwang Yu-mi passed away from leukemia in 2007 at the age of twenty-three after working in the Samsung Electronics’ Giheung semiconductor factory in Gyeonggi province. Her death brought the issue of South Korea’s semiconductor workplace safety into public discussion, and became the first semiconductor factory worker to have her illness recognized in court as an industrial accident - a decision that came only after a grinding legal battle by her surviving family.
The journal also went into detail on the Samsung leukemia cases in an editorial, and printed a paper co-written by four female physicians, including Yonsei University Graduate School of Public Health professor Kim In-a and Korea Institute of Labor Safety and Health researcher Kong-Yoo Jeong-ok. Analyzing the cases of seventeen patients diagnosed with leukemia or non-Hodgkins lymphoma at the Giheung plant between 2007 and 2011, they stated that official, independent research would be necessary to establish a causal link between the diseases and exposure to hazardous materials at the workplace. The physicians agreed that it was unusual to find so many women contracting leukemia at a young age - an average of 28.5 years - after working in a particular location, but said they were unable to determine any correlation because the company had not provided adequate information on the hazardous chemicals the workers used or the workplace conditions.
This major coverage of the Samsung leukemia cases in a prominent international journal is evidence of the attention they are getting from researchers. And with good reason: despite no fewer than fifty-six people dying of leukemia, breast cancer, malignant brain tumors, or aplastic anemia after working at one of the world‘s biggest businesses, the debate over whether or not these are industrial accidents has been going on for several years now. It is embarrassing to see this happening while Samsung goes on a “global standard,” and the government about “national prestige in the new century.” The leukemia issue is widely understood to be one of the big reasons Samsung Electronics placed third in a January online poll by Greenpeace and others to select the “world’s worst company.”
The rash of illnesses is rapidly turning into an international issue, yet little has been done back home in terms of a response. A few days ago, objections by New Frontier Party lawmakers prevented the National Assembly’s Environment and Labor Committee from forming a subcommittee on the Samsung leukemia issue. The ruling party needs to stop pandering to the business community and investigate these illnesses at the parliamentary level. Samsung, for its part, should disclose information on its semiconductor plants and conduct an objective study of workplace conditions.
Samsung Electronics has had a banner year so far in 2012, earning operating profits of 12.55 trillion won (US$10.9 billion) on sales of 92.27 trillion won (US$80.2 billion) in the first half alone. Much of this may be the result of its managers’ prowess, but there is no question that its foundation has been the sweat and striving of its workers. As important as performance is, more respect should be given to people.
　
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