[The Hwankyung Ilbo] According to the results of the 12th Environmental Damage Relief Council, the Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute (KEITI) announced on February 27 that a total of 81 applicants for the pilot project for advance payment of relief money were confirmed as the first relief recipients.

The pilot project for advance payment of relief money is a system in which the government promptly provides the victims of heavy metal poisoning, pneumoconiosis, etc., which are recognized as causal factors of environmental damage, with relief money in advance and make a claim for reimbursement to the contributor.

The causal relationship of the environmental damage of the victims was determined by the special committees on diseases, such as the cadmium poisoning special committee and the pneumoconiosis special committee, which were separately formed through the decision of the Environmental Damage Relief Council.

The types of relief money are medical expenses, medical care allowance, funeral service expenses, and compensation expenses for the bereaved family. Medical expenses totaling 1,700,000 won will be paid to 81 recipients.

Kwang-hee Nam, president of the Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute, said, "We will do our best so that the advance payment of relief money can be settled systematically to ease burden of proof for victims and promptly relieve the victims of environmental pollution."

조수빈 리포터  press@hkbs.co.kr

<저작권자 © 환경일보, 무단 전재 및 재배포 금지>