The National Human Rights Commission of Korea welcomed the Supreme Court ruling that admitted that a pregnant woman gave birth to a child with a congenital disease due to a poor working environment as a 'working disaster'.

On the 29th of last month, the Supreme Court ruled that four nurses from Jeju Medical Center gave birth to a child with congenital heart disease, and should be recognized as an industrial accident insurance. In response, yesterday (7th), the Human Rights Committee issued a statement saying, "We welcome the judgment of the Supreme Court."

In 2012, nurses claimed that they had a sick child for work reasons, so they applied for medical benefits from the Korea Labor Welfare Corporation. However, the government said that it is not possible to pay medical care benefits to workers because they are injured, diseased, or disabled, and only if they are injured.

Nurses filed a lawsuit to revoke the agency's disposition, but the High Court ruled that "women who gave birth to a child with congenital heart disease cannot be eligible for nursing care benefits." In response, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea submitted the opinion to the Supreme Court in charge of the case that "the fetus is an inseparable identity from the mother, so even if the health of the fetus is compromised, it should be regarded as a work disaster."

The Supreme Court accepted the opinion of the Human Rights Commission and broke the ruling of the High Court and raised the hands of nurses. The NHRCK said the decision of the Supreme Court was more meaningful because it was the first time that the health of the fetus was compromised as an industrial accident insurance requirement.

In addition, the NHRCK urged the National Assembly to revise the law promptly, saying, "For business reasons, the birth of a child with premature infants or congenital diseases should be included in the occupational accident under the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act."

This is 'News Pick'.