한•중 정부에 첫 미세먼지 소송…"정부에 책임" vs "노력 다해"
A preliminary hearing was held... for the first-ever lawsuit claiming compensation for damages caused by fine dust here in the nation.
A group of local citizens and a civic group have taken legal action.
They blame the South Korean and Chinese governments... of failing to adopt proper countermeasures.
Hong Yoo has the full story.
"We advise you to wear a mask today because there is a high concentration of fine dust."
This is a familiar warning that can be heard frequently on the airwaves in South Korea.
Fine dust has become one of the biggest environmental concerns... directly affecting the lives of ordinary Koreans and their health.
In response,... 91 Korean citizens along with a representative from the Korea Green Foundation have filed a lawsuit.... against the South Korean and Chinese governments for their alleged failures to actively curb fine dust.
The proceedings began on Friday with the first hearing.
Only the plaintiff and the statutory representative of South Korea were present at the session.
The South Korean Justice Department has sent documents such as the warden's copy to its Chinese counterpart, but there has been no response from Beijing so far.
The plaintiff claimed that through this lawsuit, they hope to legally determine whether both governments have made enough efforts to tackle the fine dust issue.
They argued that one-dimensional state measures had failed to protect the basic rights of the country's citizens,... and that the government should be held directly responsible for any resulting damages.
Their compensation claims include future damages from psychological distress, and costs incurred from the purchases of masks and air purifiers.
But the South Korean government countered... that they have made continuous efforts to reduce fine dust,... and have adopted a fundamental approach to tackle the issue at its source.
The government suggested that the plaintiff lacked concrete evidence... to prove that they could be held directly accountable for the damages.
The date of the next hearing is scheduled for December 7th.
Hong Yoo, Arirang News.
