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Photo = Yonhap news |
[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] Aekyung Industrial has once again secured a partial victory in its reimbursement lawsuit against SK Chemicals over the humidifier disinfectant scandal.
According to legal sources on Saturday, the Seoul High Court’s Civil Division 12-1 (Presiding Judges Jang Seok-jo, Bae Gwang-guk, and Park Hyung-joon) upheld the lower court’s ruling in favor of Aekyung, ordering SK Chemicals to pay 3.13 billion KRW ($2.3 million) in damages.
Aekyung has long argued that it merely labeled and sold the “Humidifier Mate” product, which was originally manufactured by SK Chemicals using the chemical CMIT.
A 2001 sales agreement between SK Chemicals and Aekyung stated that if damages occurred or third parties filed lawsuits against Aekyung due to Humidifier Mate, SK Chemicals would be responsible for defending Aekyung. The contract also specified that SK Chemicals would bear full liability for any harm caused to third parties’ lives or health and compensate victims accordingly.
SK Chemicals contended that since the Product Liability Act was enacted in July 2002, tightening manufacturer responsibilities, the contract’s wording should be interpreted as standard industry practice at the time rather than as an admission of full liability.
In the first trial, the court ruled in favor of Aekyung, stating that SK Chemicals was responsible for covering the costs Aekyung incurred in legal defenses, settlements, and damage compensation resulting from lawsuits related to the defective disinfectant.
SK Chemicals appealed the decision, but the verdict remained unchanged in the second trial.
Alphabiz Reporter Kim Jisun(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
