Prime Minister Kim Announces Overhaul of Victim Relief Act for Life-cycle Support

(C)  People's Solidarity for Participato

[SEJONG] The South Korean government has officially designated the humidifier disinfectant disaster as a "social tragedy" and announced a paradigm shift in its compensation and support system, moving from simple relief to a framework rooted in state liability.

During the 8th National Policy Coordination Meeting held on December 24 at the Sejong Government Complex, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok declared, "We will pursue a comprehensive amendment to the Special Act on Remedy for Humidifier Disinfectant Health Damage to clearly define the state’s responsibility." This move follows a June 2024 Supreme Court ruling that finalized the state’s legal liability for the disaster.

"As a joint party responsible for this tragedy, the government intends to fulfill its obligations with gravity," Kim stated, offering a formal apology to the approximately 6,000 victims and their families. The proposed system aims to provide "customized life-cycle support," covering education, career entry, and daily recovery. The Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Environment will lead a cross-ministerial effort to ensure the restoration of victims' lives.

In a separate move, the government addressed recent large-scale personal data breaches involving major corporations. Prime Minister Kim warned of stringent legislative measures, including punitive fines of up to 10% of total annual revenue for companies failing to protect customer data. Additionally, the meeting touched upon modernization plans for the fishing industry through AI integration and initiatives to reduce food waste by improving the distribution of products nearing their expiration dates.