▲ Former SK Chemicals CEO Hong Ji-ho (left) and Ahn Yong-chan, former CEO of Aekyung Industrial


SK Chemicals and former executives of Aekyung Industrial, who were prosecuted by the prosecution for the humidifier disinfectant incident, were both acquitted at the first trial.



The 23rd Division of the Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Agreement (Deputy Judge Yoo Young-geun) was acquitted on the 12th, saying, "The prosecution has not been sufficiently proved" regarding former SK Chemicals CEO Hong Ji-ho and Ahn Yong-chan, former CEO of Aekyung Industrial, who were charged with negligence in business. Sentenced.



The court explained the reason for the ruling, "It is difficult to say that it is difficult to prove that chloromethylisothiazolinone (CMIT) and methylisothiazolinone (MIT)-based humidifier disinfectants cause lung disease or asthma."



Former CEO Hong and CEO Ahn were handed over to trial on charges of inflicting casualties by selling CMIT/MIT-based humidifier disinfectants.



CMIT and MIT are ingredients different from polyhexamethyleneguanidine (PHMG) and ethoxyethylguanidine chloride (PGH), the raw materials for humidifier disinfectants that some manufacturers have previously convicted.



The judge said, "Even if we look at the results of all the experiments so far, it is impossible to prove the association between CMIT and MIT inducing lung disease or asthma. It is complicated because the damage is caused by the humidifier disinfectant, and if additional results come out in the future, what kind of evaluation will be historically evaluated? I don't know, but based on the evidence so far, I had no choice but to judge criminal justice.”



The victims strongly opposed the meeting with reporters after the trial.



Jo Soon-mi, a humidifier disinfectant victim, said, "I can't speak anymore because my heart seems to stop."



He said, "What products did our victims really say and how they used it?" He said, "I used what they said, but now, does it make sense that the judgment that came out of buying large law firms with a lot of money in their favor is in their favor, and that killing all the victims is innocent? "I said.



(Photo = Yonhap News)