Two workers died of lung cancer because they had been long time exposed to the working environment with the high concentration of arsenic. Arsenic is known as a strong lung cancer-causing agent.
The Korea Workers Compensation and Welfare Service(Kcomwel) upheld that the causal relationship between the work and lung cancer is considerable and the victims are entitled to the compensation of the occupational safety and health insurance.
It is the first case that the lung cancer victims who worked at the semiconductor firms are acknowledged as the victims of occupational disease.
The Kcomwel on August 29 and 30 accepted the applications for the bereaved family's benefits which were claimed by the families of the lung cancer victims who died of highly concentrated arsenic at work in the Samsung Semiconductor Inc(SSI).
This acceptance makes the total number of victims so far identified with eight different occupational diseases at the SSI increase to 14 cases which were upheld either by the Kcomwel or the courts.