DN Automotive—DN Automotive gave Ulsan battery-plant workers disguised chelation injections to mask lead exposure before mandatory health screenings
Workers at DN Automotive's Ulsan battery plant were told they were receiving vitamin shots but were actually given chelation injections to artificially lower lead readings ahead of mandatory occupational health screenings, union officials alleged in February 2026. South Korea's Ministry of Employment and Labor investigation (March-April 2026) found 68 violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, fined the company 46.2 million won, and suspended lead-exposure processes. On October 12, 2026 the Ministry referred the company to police for obstruction of government health-protection measures; President Lee Jae-myung called it 'an unacceptable and grave human rights violation.' Workers reported numbness, kidney disease, and other symptoms after repeated injections.
Scoring Impact
| Topic | Direction | Relevance | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worker Rights | -against | primary | -1.00 |
| Overall incident score = | -1.288 | ||
Score = avg(topic contributions) × significance (critical ×2) × confidence (0.64)
Evidence (2 signals)
Worker describes company-directed chelation injections and resulting health effects at DN Automotive
A 41-year-old DN Automotive worker told Yonhap that the company designated specific dates, times, and hospitals for chelation injections and pressured workers to comply, with some workers later reporting numbness, kidney disease, and other symptoms.
South Korea referred DN Automotive to police over scheme disguising lead-lowering injections as vitamins
Yonhap reported that South Korea's Ministry of Employment and Labor referred DN Automotive to police on October 12, 2026 on suspicion of obstructing official health-protection measures, after finding 68 safety-law violations and fining the company 46.2 million won for the chelation-injection scheme at its Ulsan battery plant.