hankyoreh

By Nam Jong-young　
　　
For the first time in South Korea, victims of environmental asbestos have been recognized by the state and awarded compensation. Previously, workers exposed to asbestos at their workplace were entitled to compensation through industrial accident insurance, but no measures existed for restitution to environmental victims such as residents of areas near asbestos factories and asbestos mines.
The Korea Environmental Corporation (KECO) announced Thursday that following a review of applications for recognition of asbestos-caused health damages according to the Act on Asbestos Health Damage Relief, which came into effect this year, twenty-two cases were recognized as damages from asbestos.
Government institutions provide restitution for asbestos damages in only a few countries, including Japan, France, and the United Kingdom.
Beginning in January, the Asbestos Damage Judgment Committee, which is affiliated with KECO, introduced and reviewed 37 reports of patients suffering from malignant mesothelioma. Following this review, twenty-two cases were ruled to be damages from asbestos. In six of these cases, the individual in question is already deceased, and the family members are to receive the compensation.
For the remaining fifteen cases, the committee ruled to defer judgment owing to factors such as insufficient test data.
Most of the victims were exposed to asbestos through either living in the area near an asbestos mine or factory or working in the actual mine or factory, the committee determined. Some 59 percent of the cases were residents of Hongseong County and Boryeong in South Chungcheong Province, which are home to large numbers of asbestos mines and factories.
The recognized individuals are to receive a 900 thousand Won ($808) monthly convalescence allowance and medical costs. Upon their death, their family members are to be awarded approximately 30 million Won.
“This is significant, in that wide-ranging restitution is being given even for cases of damage through environmental exposure unrelated to work,” said a KECO official.
But Asian Citizen’s Center for Environmental Health vice president Choi Ye-yong said, “The Act on Asbestos Health Damage Relief allows a ruling to be made merely upon receipt of a death certificate or disease diagnosis for cases of malignant mesothelioma, and it is out of line to withhold judgment for some victims and tell them they have to submit specific results such as tissue tests.”
Asbestos damage claims are accepted by the respective local government. A total of 174 had been received as of late January.
　　
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