National Assembly endorses parliamentary probe into humidifier disinfectant case

The National Assembly on Wednesday endorsed a plan to conduct a parliamentary probe into the toxic humidifier disinfectant case, one of Korea's worst consumer product scandals.

The plan was unanimously adopted at the assembly's plenary session.

Under the plan, a special panel will carry out their investigation for 90 days, during which it will verify who is responsible and if there was any problem on the part of the government. The panel will also discuss how to compensate the victims in the case.

Those subject to the panel's investigation include the Korean unit of the British firm Oxy Reckitt Benckiser and local retailers Lotte Shopping and Homeplus. They also include the ministries of environment, health and industry, and the Fair Trade Commission. 

The justice ministry and the prosecution were excluded from the list, although some critics have accused them of failing to investigate the case thoroughly and promptly.

The latest parliamentary move came as victims and their families have called on the legislature to open an investigation into those who manufactured or sold the deadly humidifier disinfectants and enact a special law to prevent a recurrence.

Korea has confirmed 221 victims in the case. Among them, 177 had used Oxy products. Out of 90 deaths, 70 are believed to have been caused by products made by the British firm.

The humidifier disinfectant case came to light after four pregnant women died of unknown lung problems in 2011. A government-led investigation confirmed a connection between more than a hundred people who died of lung problems and the chemicals used to clean household humidifiers. (Yonhap)

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