British firm’s Korean unit apologises over poison deaths

Atar Safdar, the head of Oxy Reckitt Benckiser Korea, bows during a press conference at a hotel in Seoul on May 2, 2016.
The head of the Korean subsidiary of a British consumer goods company was slapped and shouted down Monday as he apologised for his firm’s role in selling a humidifier disinfectant blamed for more than 100 deaths in South Korea. Shouting “too late” and “cannot forgive” in English, a handful of victims’ relatives rushed the podium where Atar Safdar, the head of Oxy Reckitt Benckiser Korea, was speaking at a hotel in Seoul./ AFP PHOTO /

SEOUL , SOUTH KOREA (AFP) –The head of a Korean subsidiary of a British consumer goods company was slapped and shouted down Monday as he apologised for his firm’s role in selling a humidifier disinfectant blamed for more than 100 deaths in South Korea.

Shouting “too late” and “cannot forgive” in English, a handful of the victims’ relatives rushed the podium where Atar Safdar, the head of Oxy Reckitt Benckiser Korea, was speaking at a hotel in Seoul.

The executive was slapped and pushed several times as the event descended into chaos.

Safdar was finally able to resume his statement, in which he offered a “heartfelt and sincere apology” to all the victims and said his company was committed to a multi-million dollar compensation plan.

The case came to light after four pregnant women died of lung problems for unknown reasons in 2011.

A subsequent government probe found a “significant association” between lung damage and products used to sterilise domestic humidifiers.

Most of the victims were found to have used Oxy Ssak Ssak, a liquid humidifier disinfectant sold by Reckitt Benckiser in South Korea from 2001, that has been blamed for around 103 deaths — mostly women and children.

“Oxy RB accepts responsibility for the role that Oxy RB products played and the delay in providing adequate remedy,” Safdar said.

He also announced the creation of a five billion won ($4.3 million) humanitarian fund to “provide assistance to those who have suffered”.

The company had earlier donated a similar amount to a fund set up by the South Korean Environment Ministry.

The company has been sharply criticised in South Korea for taking too long to apologise or accept any responsibility in the case.