South Korea - smokers face uphill battle in Supreme Court..


April 6, 2011 - Will smokers be compensated for the cancer they develop after smoking cigarettes for decades without knowing its harms?

Background:

South Korea - lung cancer patients taken tobacco suit to the Supreme Court..;
South Korea - appellate court upholds lower court ruling rejecting claims of compensation for smoking lung cancer patients..
Moreover, will the court find tobacco firms guilty of selling carcinogens without appropriate warnings? The answers now depend on the Supreme Court justices as six smokers and 25 of their relatives have filed a suit against KT&G, the tobacco manufacturer here, over the prevalence of cancers believed to have been caused by decades-long smoking habit. They have demanded a total of 360 million won ($320,000) in compensation.

Bae Keum-ja, a lawyer for the plaintiffs. “It seems the court is taking the side of a poison maker.” Bae, who graduated from Harvard Law School with studies on cigarette litigation, admitted that the struggle will be long and might not produce the result they are looking for.

The answers now depend on the Supreme Court justices as six smokers and 25 of their relatives have filed a suit against KT&G, the tobacco manufacturer here, over the prevalence of cancers believed to have been caused by decades-long smoking habit. They have demanded a total of 360 million won ($320,000) in compensation.

The Seoul Central District Court and the Seoul High Court took 12 years to rule in favor of the tobacco maker, acknowledging that smoking increases cancer prevalence but requiring individuals to verify that smoking was the direct cause of their cancer. To successfully sue, the patients must also show that tobacco firms have concealed information about the harm that cigarettes have on human health.

“KT&G has refused the court’s settlement offer to establish a public foundation dedicated to antismoking campaign. Unless a whistleblower turns up to reveal crucial facts that support our claims from the inside, the chances are not so high,” she said.


Reference: Herald Interview] Smokers face uphill battle in Supreme Court by Bae Ji-sook (baejisook@heraldm.com). Korea Herald, 3/27/2011.

South Korea - some related news briefs:
South Korea - KT&G’s Esse is queen of the super-slim cigarettes..;

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

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