'비타민 주사'인 줄 알았는데…납 배출 주사 맞힌 울산 공장
Workers Thought It Was a 'Vitamin Shot'—It Was a Lead-Flushing Injection
Part of the October 12, 2026 daily edition
자동차 배터리를 만드는 DN오토모티브 울산공장이 몸속 중금속을 빼내는 ’킬레이션 주사’를 ’비타민 주사’라고 속여 노동자들에게 맞혔다는 의혹이 나왔습니다. 노조에 따르면 이 공장은 10년 넘게 특수건강진단을 앞둔 노동자들에게 이 주사를 맞혀 왔습니다. 혈중 납 수치가 높게 나오는 것을 막으려고 검진 전에 미리 피검사를 하고 주사를 놓았다는 것입니다. 노동자들은 회사가 복지로 주는 비타민 주사인 줄 알았다고 합니다. 고용노동부는 경찰에 수사를 의뢰하고, 산업안전보건법 위반 68건을 적발해 과태료 4620만 원을 부과했습니다. 이재명 대통령은 10월 12일 이를 “결코 용납할 수 없는 중대한 인권 침해”라고 하며 엄중히 대처하라고 지시했습니다.
Translation
Allegations have emerged that the Ulsan plant of DN Automotive, a maker of car batteries, gave its workers 'chelation injections,' which force heavy metals out of the body, while telling them they were 'vitamin shots.' According to the union, the plant had been giving these injections for more than ten years to workers who were about to have their special health checkups. The claim is that the company tested their blood in advance and gave them the shots to keep their blood lead levels from coming out high. The workers say they thought these were vitamin shots the company was providing as a welfare benefit. The Ministry of Employment and Labor asked the police to investigate, and it found 68 violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act and imposed fines of 46.2 million won. On October 12, President Lee Jae-myung called this 'a serious human rights violation that can never be tolerated' and ordered that it be dealt with sternly.
Vocabulary
- 노동자명사 (noun)worker
- 중금속명사 (noun)heavy metal
- 속이다동사 (verb)to deceive, to trick
- 의혹명사 (noun)suspicion, allegation
- 노조명사 (noun)labor union (short for 노동조합)
- 수치명사 (noun)level, figure
- 적발하다동사 (verb)to uncover, to catch (a violation)
- 과태료명사 (noun)administrative fine
Grammar points
-아/어 오다have been (doing) — continuing up to now
-아/어 오다 shows an action that has continued from the past up to a point: 맞혀 왔습니다, (they) have been giving (the shots).
Example: 노조에 따르면 이 공장은 10년 넘게 특수건강진단을 앞둔 노동자들에게 이 주사를 맞혀 왔습니다.
According to the union, the plant had been giving these injections for more than ten years to workers who were about to have their special health checkups.
-(으)려고in order to
-(으)려고 gives the purpose of an action: 막으려고, in order to prevent.
Example: 혈중 납 수치가 높게 나오는 것을 막으려고 검진 전에 미리 피검사를 하고 주사를 놓았다는 것입니다.
The claim is that the company tested their blood in advance and gave them the shots to keep their blood lead levels from coming out high.
-(으)ㄴ 줄 알다to (wrongly) think that
-(으)ㄴ/는 줄 알다 says what someone believed, usually something that turned out to be wrong: 비타민 주사인 줄 알았다, (they) thought it was a vitamin shot.
Example: 노동자들은 회사가 복지로 주는 비타민 주사인 줄 알았다고 합니다.
The workers say they thought these were vitamin shots the company was providing as a welfare benefit.
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