▲ The accident of collective mercury poisoning at the Namyung Lighting was reported first time by the Korea Daily Labor News one year ago. Ever since, the Ministry of Environment made it public 'the handbook on the environment and safety management at the mercury handling workplaces' and 'the technical guidelines' in July this year. The Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency(KOSHA) has also commissioned a project to develop a guideline which includes the content on how workers shall respond to in case of their exposure to mercury. Recently the Kwangju Regional Prosecutors Office arrested two officers of the Kwangju plant and a person who was in charge of the demolition of factory equipments which used mercury.
A victim of the mercury poisoning at Namyung Lighting died of the explosion accident occurred on November 2 at the Star Chemical Company located in the Gumi Industrial Complex.
reported by Bae Hye-jeong
translated by Kim Sung-jin