South Korea - lung cancer patients taken tobacco suit to the Supreme Court..

March 4, 2011 - A group of lung cancer patients who claimed long-time smoking was the cause of their illness have decided to take a “tobacco suit” to the Supreme Court after losing two previous legal battles.

The Seoul High Court said Wednesday, March 2nd that the plaintiffs comprised of six cancer patients and 25 family members filed an appeal to the Supreme Court, claiming that KT&G, the largest cigarette maker in South Korea, should be liable for compensating the patients.

On Feb. 15, the Seoul High Court upheld a lower court ruling that rejected the claims for compensation. But at the same time the court recognized the cause-and-effect relationship between smoking and lung cancer in line with the first verdict in a case filed against KT&G. (South Korea - appellate court upholds lower court ruling rejecting claims of compensation for smoking lung cancer patients..)

The dispute over whether the tobacco firm is responsible for compensating the patients dates back to 1999 when the six and their family members filed a damages suit against KT&G and the government, demanding a 307 million won ($274,000) settlement.

Reference: Tobacco suit heading toward Supreme Court, The Korea Time, 3/2/2011.

South Korea - some related news briefs:
South Korea - One out of every 10 female high-school students smoke cigarettes habitually..;
South Korea - appellate court upholds lower court ruling rejecting claims of compensation for smoking lung cancer patients..;
South Korea - more tobacco control measures to be implemented - wants positive results by 2014..;
South Korea - govt serious about getting smokers to quit..;
South Korea - charge enough for cigarettes smokers will quit..;
South Korea - BAT Korea launching Dunhill Nanocut 1 mg, next week..;
South Korean tobacco company KT&G signs deal to sell cigarettes in the Middle East and Russia..;
South Korea - BAT releases Dunhill Orient as a limited edition..;
http://snus-news.blogspot.com/2010/11/south-korea-end-of-next-year-teenagers.html;
South Korea - stop people from smoking go ahead and triple the price of cigarettes..;
South Korea - Smoking Manner Campaign - promoting cigarette butt-free streets..;
South Korea - in 2007, world's 12th largest cigarette exporter..;
South Korea - study finds higher prices most effective method to discourage smoking..;
South Korea - a new Raison line extension..;
next month enforcement of ban on smoking by taxi drivers..;
South Korea - fines collected for dumping cigarette butts are down.. ;
South Korea - BAT launches new cigarette seems similar to Camel Crush..;
South Korea - rate of male smokers probably higher than any other OECD country..;
South Korea - BAT to further invest in Sacheon factory..;
South Korea - a look at KT&G Corporation with 63% of the market..;
South Korea - streets and parks of Seoul City could be designated as non-smoking areas..;
PMI - slide presentation South Korean Cigarette Market..;
South Korea - KT&G forms alliance with Imperial Tobacco Group..;
South Korea - more smokers in 2009 than in 2008..;
South Korea - remote island going smoke-free, car-free and night lights-free..;
South Korea - Stressed-out Koreans smoking more..;
South Korea - to ban smoking in public places from 2011..;
Korea - BAT - winning the hearts and minds of customers based on tactics tailored to local tastes..;
Korea - sets target to reduce smoking 10% in 5-years..;
Korea - stricter regulation of the tobacco industry coming..;
South Korea - tobacco imports surge 396-fold over 10-years..;
Korea - slight increase in men smoking.. ;
South Korea - anti-tobacco campaign - body painting..;
Korea - smoking ban just about everywhere by end of 2009..;
Tobacco marketing in South Korea has been deliberately aimed at girls and young women..;
Korea - smoking rates fall for men and women...
(passive smoking, environmental tobacco smoke, ets, involuntary smoking, sidestream smoking)