South Korean Government to Compensate Victims of Humidifier Disinfectant Even Without Lawsuits

The Ministry of Environment in South Korea is moving forward with plans to compensate victims of humidifier disinfectants, even if they have not filed lawsuits against the state. A comprehensive compensation framework is expected to be announced as early as June 2025.

According to data received from the Ministry of Environment by lawmaker Lim I-ja of the People Power Party on January 20, the ministry has commissioned a domestic law firm to study the compensation system for humidifier disinfectant victims. This includes legal reviews on establishing a mediation committee involving the government and corporations, as well as methods for collecting compensation funds.

In June 2022, the Supreme Court ruled that the government had failed to adequately assess the safety of certain toxic substances, specifically polyhexamethylene guanidine (PHMG) and ethoxyethyl guanidine (PGH), which led to the court ordering compensation of 3 million to 5 million won to three victims. This marked the first acknowledgment of partial state responsibility.

As of the end of last year, the government recognized 5,828 victims of humidifier disinfectants, but only three have successfully sued the state for damages. The Ministry of Environment has stated that it will provide compensation to other victims based on the severity of their cases, even if they did not file separate lawsuits.

In October 2021, 13 victim organizations and six companies agreed to resolve the issue through mediation and formed a mediation committee. However, a proposed settlement in April 2022 fell through when Oxy Reckitt Benckiser and Aekyung Industry, which were to bear 60% of the compensation costs, did not agree to the terms. The proposed settlement included support ranging from a minimum of 25 million won to a maximum of 535 million won for survivors, and between 200 million won and 400 million won for the families of deceased victims, totaling an estimated 779.5 billion to 924 billion won in corporate support.

The Ministry of Environment plans to create a new compensation proposal from a 'zero base' since the government’s share of responsibility has been recognized. This will involve determining the ratio of responsibility between the government and corporations, guided by the findings of the commissioned study. The ministry is also exploring how to amend relevant laws to ensure regular collection of government contributions and corporate shares.

Additionally, the ministry is considering the timeline for accepting new compensation claims, how to adjust the current contribution ratios of 80% for humidifier disinfectant manufacturers and 20% for raw material suppliers, and the necessity of memorial projects for victims.