Battery Maker Injected Workers With Heavy Metal Detox Shot, Passing It Off as Vitamin Shot
Concerns have been raised that battery maker DN Automotive injected workers with a heavy metal detox shot, telling them it was a vitamin injection. The detox shot is a treatment that expels harmful metal substances from the body, and administering it before a health checkup can improve test results, which has sparked controversy. Chelation injections use drugs that flush lead from the body through urine, and carry a risk of side effects.
DN Automotive maintains that it did not force workers to receive the chelation injections.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor received a tip-off in late January and conducted safety and health inspections along with precise work environment measurements. The ministry found 68 violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, referred the case for prosecution, imposed a fine of 46.2 million won, and ordered the suspension of lead exposure processes from April 21 to May 7.
The ministry judged that having workers receive chelation injections immediately before special health checkups obstructed the government's health protection measures, and referred the plant to police on charges of obstruction of business. The Ulsan Metropolitan Police Agency is investigating the obstruction of business allegations.
President Lee Jae-myung also weighed in. Kang Yu-jung, senior presidential secretary for press affairs, said at a briefing that President Lee stated, "Making workers get injections while hiding the risk of side effects and concealing their exposure to hazardous substances is a serious human rights violation that can never be tolerated," and ordered the labor ministry and law enforcement agencies to conduct a thorough investigation and take strict measures.
In a statement, DN Automotive said, "We deeply reflect on the failure to uphold the principle that employee safety and health come first," adding, "We will cooperate with all procedures, including the government investigation and epidemiological survey, and take responsibility for any wrongdoing."
