Korea's labor minister pledges to help add a penalty for drugs that mask workers' lead tests
Korea's labor minister said inspections have begun at 14 workplaces after admitting the safety law has a "legislative gap" on drugs that mask lead tests. He pledged to "actively cooperate" with a revision bill Rep. Kim Tae-sun is preparing to add a penalty.
The Investor · Invest desk
Key figures: DN Automotive's Ulsan plant was fined 46.2 million won, about 680,000 won per violation if spread evenly across 68 violations, and its lead-exposure processes were suspended for 17 days, April 21 to May 7.
| Figure | Value | Note | Claim |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fines imposed at DN Automotive's Ulsan plant | 46.2 million won | 3 | |
| Fine per violation, about | 680,000 won | 15 | |
| Lead-process suspension | 17 days | 16 |
What happened
- Workers at DN Automotive were allegedly told that lead-flushing drugs were "vitamin shots" and were injected to lower their blood lead temporarily and stay under the health-exam threshold.
- After a late-January tip, the ministry found 68 violations of the safety act at the Ulsan plant, referred the case to prosecutors and imposed fines of 46.2 million won.
- Because the act has no penalty for the drug use, the ministry sought legal advice on obstruction of business and Medical Service Act charges and referred the case to police.
- Rep. Kim cited a U.S. OSHA regulation that bars an employer from having anyone it employs, supervises or controls administer prophylactic chelation to a worker.
Why it matters
- exposure Two of the 14 inspected sites are under suspicion of organized involvement and Rep. Kim wants a full survey of lead risks, so employers beyond DN Automotive are within reach of the review.
- cost The price so far is about 680,000 won per violation if the fine is spread evenly across the 68, plus a 17-day stoppage of lead-exposure processes.
- precedent A bill drafted around chelation alone would leave other methods untouched, and Rep. Kim himself says "all sorts of methods are emerging to pass special health examinations."
Rep. Kim Tae-sun's argument for a penalty rests on two outside references. The Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Medicine has stated that chelation therapy is not recommended and that its side-effect risks, including kidney toxicity and depletion of essential minerals, far outweigh any benefit [7]. And the U.S. rule he cited, Rep. Kim said, "requires improving the lead exposure environment at the workplace itself, not lowering the readings with drugs" [6]. The second point is about money as much as medicine: an employer who pays for injections is not paying to change the exposure, and a penalty raises the price of the shortcut.
Until a bill passes, the Act itself cannot punish the masking [2], and the ministry's route is the pair of charges it has already sent to police [4]. The minister did not dress that up. "The gap in the Occupational Safety and Health Act is a fact," he said [11].
We think the penalty, when it arrives, will name the employer. Rep. Kim is arguing from a U.S. rule written around what an employer administers, supervises or controls [5], the minister said he would "actively cooperate" with the bill [8], and President Lee Jae-myung criticized the case for a second straight day [13]. "This is something that cannot happen in 21st-century Korea," Lee said at a Cabinet meeting on the 13th [14].
The counter-case has two versions. A bill could target the clinicians who give the injections and leave employers under the existing Act, or the obstruction and Medical Service Act charges could hold up and take the urgency out of a revision. A draft that names only medical providers would prove us wrong. The reports do not include draft text, a penalty size or a timetable.
What to watch
- Whether Rep. Kim's revision bill names employers who administer or arrange chelation, or only medical providers, and what penalty it sets.
- Whether police and prosecutors proceed on the obstruction of business and Medical Service Act charges against DN Automotive.
- What the inspections at the 14 workplaces find, especially at the two sites suspected of organized involvement.
Clarity's read
What the record supports and how the coverage leans. The claims behind it follow.
Reality
- Evidence55
- Adoption
- Insufficient
- Hype gap+5
- Incentives
- Insufficient
- Confidence50
Claim ledger
Ranked by verification strength, evidence, and original report placement.
- [1]
Asked by Rep. Kim Tae-sun whether the current law allows for punishment, Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon said there was a "legislative gap."
- [2]
The Occupational Safety and Health Act carries no penalty provisions for using drugs to evade threshold levels in special health examinations.
- [3]
After a late-January tip, the ministry identified a total of 68 violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act at DN Automotive's Ulsan plant, booked and referred the case to prosecutors, and imposed fines of 46.2 million won.
- [4]
With no penalty provisions under the act, the ministry sought legal advice on charges including obstruction of business and violations of the Medical Service Act, and referred the case to police.
- [5]
Rep. Kim said U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations state that an employer shall ensure that no person it employs, supervises or controls administers prophylactic chelation to any worker under any circumstances.
- [6]
"The rule requires improving the lead exposure environment at the workplace itself, not lowering the readings with drugs," Rep. Kim said.
- [7]
The Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Medicine has stated that chelation therapy is not recommended and that the risks of side effects, including kidney toxicity and depletion of essential minerals, far outweigh any benefit.
- [8]
Asked whether the ministry would cooperate with a revision bill Rep. Kim is preparing to close the penalty gap, the minister said he would "actively cooperate" and that "this case will be addressed through the system."
- [9]
The minister said inspections had begun at 14 workplaces.
- [10]
Rep. Kim said "all sorts of methods are emerging to pass special health examinations," asked the ministry to confirm whether there was organized involvement at the two of the 14 sites under suspicion, and asked for a full survey of lead risks.
- [11]
"The gap in the Occupational Safety and Health Act is a fact," the minister said.
- [12]
From April 21 to May 7, the ministry ordered a suspension of operations in processes involving lead exposure at DN Automotive.
- [13]
President Lee Jae-myung issued sharp criticism over the controversy for a second straight day.
- [14]
"This is something that cannot happen in 21st-century Korea," President Lee said at a Cabinet meeting on the 13th.
- [15]
Spread evenly across the 68 violations, the 46.2 million won fine is about 680,000 won per violation.
- [16]
The suspension of lead-exposure processes from April 21 to May 7 ran 17 days counting both end dates.
- [17]
Workers at DN Automotive were allegedly told that drugs promoting lead excretion were "vitamin shots" and were given the injections to temporarily lower blood lead levels and avoid exceeding the threshold in special health examinations.
Get this ledger inside ChatGPT. Ask about any of our stories and the answer brings its figure, each claim’s verdict and the sources. Free, no account.
Sources
1 independent publisher whose own reporting we read for this story.
- en.sedaily.comKorea Moves to Close Legal Gap on Chelation Shots Given to Workers
1 article · October 13, 2026
Topics and entities
Follow any of these and your For You feed starts watching them — no settings page required.
Topics
Entities
- Ministry of Employment and LaborFollow
- DN AutomotiveFollow
- Kim Young-hoonFollow
- U.S. Occupational Safety and Health AdministrationFollow
- Lee Jae-myungFollow
- Kim Tae-sunFollow