South Korea shifts to state-led compensation for humidifier disinfectant victims after 15 years

Victims of the humidifier disinfectant disaster can now receive compensation through a government review process without filing a separate civil lawsuit against manufacturers, under a system that took effect Thursday. The change follows the enforcement of an amended special act on humidifier disinfectant victim relief, which shifts the framework from an administrative "relief" scheme funded by corporate contributions to a "damages" system based on joint liability shared by the state and manufacturers — more than 15 years after the disaster first emerged as a major public health crisis.

According to the Ministry of Climate, Environment and Energy, once a victim submits a compensation application, investigators will assess health damage and the degree of lost working capacity, after which the Humidifier Disinfectant Compensation Review Committee under the prime minister will make a final ruling on eligibility and the amount to be paid.

Once a compensation decision is issued, victims may choose to receive the full amount as a lump sum, or receive the total minus future medical costs upfront and collect the medical portion later. Applicants who disagree with a ruling may request a review.

To prevent any financial gap between application and payment, victims who were already receiving relief benefits will continue to do so until their compensation is disbursed.

Applications for compensation review will be accepted for six months, from Thursday through April 7 next year. Victims seeking compensation must submit an application form along with supporting documents to the review committee. Applications can be filed online through the integrated victim support portal or in person at reception desks in Seoul and Sejong. Consultation services are also available at the Seoul victim communication center.

The review committee is expected to be formed this month. Detailed compensation criteria and a guidance document will be released before the end of the year, with individual reviews set to begin next year.

The ministry plans to estimate the total compensation amount based on the detailed criteria and then levy company-specific contributions in the first half of next year.

On the matter of corporate contributions, the ministry signed a "humidifier disinfectant compensation implementation agreement" Thursday with 15 companies — including humidifier disinfectant manufacturers and raw material suppliers such as Oxy Reckitt Benckiser, SK Chemicals, SK Innovation and Aekyung Industrial — at the Coal Association building in Jongno-gu, Seoul.

Under the agreement, the companies committed to faithfully paying their share of compensation costs, while the ministry pledged to secure government funding through the budget process.

Both sides also agreed to work toward building a full-cycle chemical safety network — covering everything from raw materials to product disposal — to prevent similar disasters, and to resolve any disputes over contributions through mutual consultation within a joint working body.

"I hope this state-led compensation system will serve as a solid starting point for the swift recovery of victims and bereaved families," Minister Kim Sung-hwan said. "As a party bearing responsibility for compensation, the government will do its utmost to ensure the process proceeds swiftly and transparently."