Lee orders stern response to alleged abuse of workers at car battery plant

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SEOUL, Oct. 12 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung ordered the authorities Monday to respond sternly to allegations that a car battery manufacturer duped its workers into getting shots to discharge heavy metals from their bodies in order to cover up dangerous levels of lead in its production line, his spokesperson said.

According to a news report, DN Automotive, a major local car battery manufacturer, tricked workers at its plant in the southeastern city of Ulsan into getting the shots multiple times by disguising them as "vitamin injections" ahead of their medical exams.

Lee was briefed on the labor ministry's recent decision to refer the company to the police for investigation, and strongly rebuked the government over the fact that the company had passed a work environment assessment even after five times the allowed level of lead was found in its production process, according to his spokesperson Kang Yu-jung.

"President Lee said it was an unacceptable and grave human rights violation that a company, which should protect workers' lives and health, made its workers get injections while hiding potential side effects and covered up the exposure to harmful substances," Kang said during a press briefing. "He ordered a stern response."

To the labor ministry and investigative agencies, Lee ordered a thorough investigation to verify the exact level of exposure to harmful substances at the production site, how the injections were administered and whether any medical exam results had been covered up.

He also instructed the authorities to take stern measures in case any violations of the law are found, according to Kang. In addition, the president called for a close inspection of potentially similar cases at other production facilities and all possible measures to protect the health and human rights of workers.

President Lee Jae Myung speaks at a Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Oct. 6, 2026. (Yonhap)

hague@yna.co.kr (END)

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Lee orders stern response to alleged abuse of workers at car battery plant

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首尔，10月12日（韩联社）——韩国总统李在明的发言人表示，李在明总统周一下令有关部门严厉回应有关一家汽车电池制造商欺骗工人注射药物以排出体内重金属，从而掩盖其生产线上铅含量超标的指控。

据新闻报道，韩国东南部城市蔚山的一家大型汽车电池制造商DN Automotive，在工人体检前，将注射伪装成“维生素注射”的药物，诱骗工人多次注射。

据李的发言人康裕贞称，李某听取了劳动部最近决定将该公司移交警方调查的简报，并强烈谴责政府，因为该公司在生产过程中被发现铅含量超标五倍的情况下，仍然通过了工作环境评估。

康在新闻发布会上说：“李总统表示，一家本应保护工人生命健康的公司，却让工人在注射药物的同时隐瞒潜在的副作用，并掩盖工人接触有害物质的情况，这是不可接受的严重侵犯人权行为。他下令对此予以严厉回应。”

李下令劳动部和调查机构进行彻底调查，以核实生产现场有害物质的确切暴露水平、注射方式以及是否掩盖了任何医疗检查结果。

据康先生透露，总统还指示有关部门，一旦发现任何违法行为，必须采取严厉措施。此外，总统还要求对其他生产企业可能存在的类似情况进行密切调查，并采取一切可能的措施保护工人的健康和人权。

2026年10月6日，李在明总统在首尔青瓦台主持召开内阁会议并发表讲话。（韩联社）

hague@yna.co.kr (完)

民调显示，近半数员工表示无法自由休育儿假。

李下令严惩汽车电池厂涉嫌虐待工人事件