Majority of Koreans Support Holding Tobacco Firms Liable for Lung Cancer Costs, Survey Finds





 

 As South Korea’s National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) prepares for the final appeal hearing in its landmark ₩53.3 billion ($39 million) lawsuit against tobacco companies, a new survey shows that nearly two-thirds of Koreans believe cigarette makers should be held financially responsible for medical costs linked to lung cancer.

The findings were released Thursday during a symposium hosted by the Korean Medical Bio Journalists Association and the Korean Academy of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases.

The event, titled “Smoking and Lung Cancer: Spotlight on the Tobacco Lawsuit,” comes ahead of the May 22 closing arguments in the NHIS’s long-running litigation against KT&G, Philip Morris Korea, and BAT Korea.

The NHIS is seeking to recoup healthcare costs incurred for 3,465 lung and laryngeal cancer patients with smoking histories of at least 20 pack-years or 30 years. The agency argues that tobacco companies should cover a portion of these expenses due to the well-established link between smoking and cancer.

According to a nationwide online survey conducted from March 27 to April 15 among 1,209 adults, 63.7% of respondents supported the idea that tobacco firms should bear some or all medical costs for smoking-related illnesses.

Interestingly, current smokers showed the highest level of support, with 72.5% agreeing, compared to 59.8% of non-smokers and 68% of former smokers.

Awareness of the lawsuit was moderate: 45.9% said they were familiar with it, including 22.5% of smokers who claimed detailed knowledge—far more than among non-smokers (7.8%).

Legal experts argued that while South Korean courts have not yet recognized a direct causal relationship between smoking and lung cancer in the same way that U.S. and Canadian courts have, this case may prove different.

“This time, we’ve taken a more rigorous approach in selecting plaintiffs and assembling expert testimony,” said Lim Hyun-jung, legal counsel for the NHIS. “We’re cautiously optimistic about a different outcome compared to previous rulings.”

Source : http://koreabizwire.com/majority-of-koreans-support-holding-tobacco-firms-liable-for-lung-cancer-costs-survey-finds/317852

Comprehension

How much money is the NHIS seeking in the lawsuit against tobacco companies?
What is the reason NHIS is suing the tobacco firms?
Which companies are named in the lawsuit?
How many patients’ medical costs is the NHIS trying to recover?
What criteria were used to select the patients in the case?
When is the final hearing for the lawsuit scheduled?
What percentage of Koreans support holding cigarette makers financially responsible for smoking-related illnesses?
Which group showed the highest support for the idea that tobacco firms should pay for medical costs?
How many respondents were aware of the lawsuit?
How does South Korea's legal stance on smoking and lung cancer differ from that of the U.S. and Canada?

Discussion

Do you agree that tobacco companies should help pay medical costs for smoking-related illnesses? Why or why not?
Why do you think current smokers supported the lawsuit more than non-smokers?
What responsibility do smokers have for their health choices, and what responsibility do tobacco companies have?
How could a court ruling in favor of NHIS affect public health policy in South Korea?
Should tobacco products be taxed more heavily to offset public healthcare costs?
Why do you think many people are unaware of this high-profile lawsuit?
How does smoking affect society beyond individual health?
What other industries might face similar lawsuits related to public health?
What role do public education and warning labels play in tobacco use prevention?
How can governments better protect citizens from the dangers of smoking?

Vocabulary

Landmark – Very important or significant, especially in a legal or historical sense.
Litigation – The process of taking legal action or being involved in a lawsuit.
Recoup – To recover money that was lost or spent.
Pack-year – A way to measure how much a person has smoked over time.
Laryngeal – Related to the larynx, or voice box.
Causal relationship – A connection where one thing causes another.
Symposium – A meeting or conference to discuss a particular topic.
Expert testimony – Statements made by someone with special knowledge, used in court.
Plaintiff – The person or organization that brings a case to court.
Cautiously optimistic – Hopeful about the outcome, but aware of possible difficulties.