Court Recommends Lotte Shopping and Manufacturers Pay 630 Million Won Compensation for 'Humidifier Disinfectant' Case

The court has issued a mediation recommendation ordering a total compensation of 630 million won in a damages lawsuit filed by the families of humidifier disinfectant victims.

At the press conference marking the 14th anniversary of the humidifier disinfectant disaster held on the stairs of Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Jongno-gu, Seoul, mementos in memory of fetuses, infants, and children affected, as well as humidifier disinfectants, were on display. Photo by Yonhap News

According to the legal community on July 21, the 33rd Civil Division of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Choi Jongjin) on the previous day presented a mediation recommendation during a settlement hearing for a damages suit brought by two bereaved family members, including a person identified as Lee, against Lotte Shopping, the distributor of the Wiselect humidifier disinfectant, and the manufacturers. The recommendation stipulates that the manufacturers pay a total of 630 million won in joint compensation to the plaintiffs.

If neither party objects to the court’s decision within two weeks from the date on which the decision is delivered, the mediation recommendation will be finalized. However, if either side files an objection, the court will review the case again. If the mediation recommendation is confirmed, this case, which began in 2016, will be concluded after nearly 10 years.

The plaintiffs, including the bereaved family member Lee, filed the lawsuit against the manufacturers and distributors, holding them accountable for lung disease caused by humidifier disinfectant. The humidifier disinfectant disaster refers to an incident involving products first introduced in 1994 that caused lung injuries among users. In 2011, an epidemiological investigation by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) confirmed a causal relationship between the disinfectant and lung injuries.

In February 2024, the Seoul High Court for the first time recognized the state’s liability for damages related to the humidifier disinfectant crisis, and the Supreme Court finalized this ruling in June that same year.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.