Prosecutors seek arrest warrant against former Oxy CEO

By Park Sae-jin Posted : June 15, 2016, 10:45 Updated : June 15, 2016, 10:46

[Yonhap News Photo]


Prosecutors have sought an arrest warrant for the head of Google's branch in South Korea, in an investigation into deadly humidifier disinfectants.

Google Korea CEO John Lee, an American citizen who headed Oxy Reckitt Benckiser Korea, the local unit of a British company, from 2005 to 2010, faces charges of involuntary manslaughter and injuries as well as false advertising. The warrant was requested on Tuesday night. 

Prosecutors said Lee has argued he was not aware of the toxicity of chemicals used in humidifier disinfectants . Oxy has been at the center of the scandal that came to light after four pregnant women died of serious lung ailment in 2011.

A dozen people have been arrested including two college professors, accused of concocting research papers in return for money, and six from two major discount chains in the case that triggered a public health scare and a buyer's strike.

Government data showed 103 people, including dozens of pregnant women and infants, were presumed to have died after using humidifier disinfectants produced by Oxy and other companies. Consumer groups have accused them of falsely advertising their products as safe.

Oxy has been widely vilified for covering up the harmfulness of its product. It is suspected of failing to conduct a safety test despite a warning from a German research center about the inhalation toxicity of chemicals such as poly hexamethylene guanidine.

Aju News Lim Chang-won = cwlim34@ajunews.com
 
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