Police question DN Automotive executive over alleged lead-removal injections
In short
Ulsan police questioned an executive of DN Automotive on October 13 over allegations that workers received lead-removal injections before health checks, Newsis reported. Some workers were allegedly told the injections were vitamins; President Lee Jae-myung has ordered a thorough investigation.
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Police in Ulsan questioned a DN Automotive executive on October 13 over allegations that workers were given injections to lower their blood lead levels before special health examinations. Newsis reported on October 14 that the executive had been summoned the previous day and that police were examining the circumstances of the injections. Police said they could not disclose detailed information about the investigation's progress. [ 20 ]
The automotive battery manufacturer is accused of giving workers chelation injections intended to remove heavy metals from the body before their health checks. Some workers were reportedly told they were receiving vitamin injections. The Labour Ministry referred the company to police in August on suspicion of obstruction of business, judging that the practice could have interfered with government measures to protect workers' health, according to Newsis and Hankook Ilbo. [ 11 , 20 ]
President Lee Jae-myung ordered a thorough investigation on October 12 after receiving the ministry's report on its response and future plans, Yonhap reported. He called for scrutiny of hazardous-substance exposure, how the injections were administered and whether health-examination results had been concealed. He also asked authorities to examine whether similar practices at other workplaces were undermining occupational-safety protections. [ 7 ]
Labour authorities found 68 occupational-safety violations at the Ulsan plant and imposed fines of 46.2 million won, Hankook Ilbo and Dong-A Ilbo reported. Dong-A Ilbo said authorities also ordered a halt to lead-exposure processes from April 21 to May 7. At a parliamentary audit on October 13, lawmakers requested testimony from the company's chief executive and affected workers and urged broader checks of workplaces handling lead, CBS NoCut News reported. [ 11 , 14 , 18 ]
Why it matters
The allegations concern possible concealment of workers' lead exposure and interference with health checks. Labour authorities reported 68 workplace-safety violations at the Ulsan plant and imposed fines of 46.2 million won.
Key facts
- Police summoned and questioned a DN Automotive executive on October 13. [ 19 , 20 ]
- The company is accused of administering chelation injections before workers' special health examinations. [ 6 , 11 , 14 , 20 , 23 ]
- Labour authorities referred the company to police in August on suspicion of obstruction of business. [ 6 , 11 , 20 ]
- Authorities identified 68 occupational-safety violations at the Ulsan plant and imposed fines of 46.2 million won. [ 4 , 11 , 14 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Whether injections were used to conceal lead exposure and distort health-check results. The reports describe allegations under investigation, rather than a final determination.