hankyoreh

2014

Eight anti-nuclear civic groups - including the Busan Citizens’ Action Committee against Nuclear Power - announced on Mar. 3 that a group of plaintiffs with thyroid cancer had filed a second collective lawsuit for damages on Feb. 25 against Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP), the state-run operator of South Korea’s nuclear power plants, at the Dongbu District Court in Busan.

According to these groups, the 248 plaintiffs are people with cancer of the thyroid gland who have been living or lived for at least five years within a 10km radius of four nuclear plants in South Korea.

The plants are Kori Nuclear Power Plant in Busan, Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant in North Gyeongsang Province, Hanul Nuclear Power Plant also in North Gyeongsang Province, and Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant in South Jeolla Province.

The first joint action, which represented 300 people with cancer living near the plants and 1,335 of their family members, was filed against KHNP on Dec. 16, 2014.

A total of 248 plaintiffs are participating in the second joint action, including 94 people living near Hanul Nuclear Power Plant, 63 people near Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant, 54 people near Kori Nuclear Power Plant, and 37 people near Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant. In addition, 957 family members of the plaintiffs are demanding compensation for mental and financial damage incurred by [their family members’] thyroid cancer.

Each of the plaintiffs who are part of the second collective lawsuit are requesting 15 million won (US$13,700) in compensation for themselves, along with 3 million won for their spouses and 1 million won for their parents and children.

The groups opposed to nuclear power are currently discussing plans to enlist additional plaintiffs for a third joint lawsuit.

On Oct. 17, 2014, the east branch of Busan District Court ruled that KHNP was liable for the thyroid cancer contracted by an individual named Park, 48, who lives close to Kori Nuclear Power Plant. Since then, there have been a series of joint actions taken by people living near the power plants.

By Kim Young-dong, Busan correspondent

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]