Battery maker accused of giving workers lead-flushing injections disguised as vitamin shots

DN Automotive’s Ulsan battery plant is accused of giving workers chelation injections shortly before mandatory health checkups. Workers reportedly understood the injections to be vitamin shots. The allegation matters because chelation drugs are intended for serious heavy-metal poisoning, not routine prevention, and can harm the kidneys.

MBC reported that an internal document listed workers due for additional treatments, with names and dose numbers assigned to dates. The company appeared to be trying to keep workers’ blood lead below 30 micrograms per deciliter, the level that triggers government oversight. About 100 workers may have received injections since 2022.

The labor ministry found 88 workplace-safety violations and referred 68 to prosecutors. It also said the injections undermined government measures protecting workers’ health. DN Automotive said workers received the injections voluntarily, while its CEO apologized and promised to accept responsibility if wrongdoing is established.

Chelation therapy is a medical treatment that uses drugs to bind heavy metals in the bloodstream. The bound metals can then leave the body through urine. In this case, the injections reportedly targeted lead exposure. The treatment is normally reserved for serious heavy-metal poisoning, not for routinely lowering test results.

The danger is that chelation drugs can damage the kidneys. They also do not remove the underlying workplace hazard. If an employer gives them before checkups, workers may face drug side effects while the source of exposure continues. The article also notes that U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration rules bar employers from using chelation preventively.

This makes the alleged practice medically and ethically serious. Workers need accurate exposure assessment and treatment decisions by qualified clinicians, not injections designed to influence monitoring. The labor ministry and investigators were ordered to examine how the injections were given and whether medical examination results were concealed.

The reported scale is substantial: about 100 workers at DN Automotive’s Ulsan battery plant are believed to have received chelation injections since 2022. The injections were reportedly given before mandatory health checkups, making the practice potentially systematic rather than an isolated event.

The workplace exposure was also far above the permitted level. Lee said lead levels during production exceeded the permissible workplace limit by more than five times. Separately, MBC reported that the company appeared to be trying to keep workers’ blood lead below 30 micrograms per deciliter, the threshold bringing workers under government oversight.

These figures connect the alleged treatment to a serious exposure problem. The labor ministry halted lead-handling processes from April 21 to May 7. It found 88 violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, referred 68 to prosecutors, and imposed fines totaling 46.2 million won for 20 other violations.

Blood tests are meant to show whether workers’ exposure is high enough to require government oversight. If chelation temporarily lowers blood lead before a mandatory checkup, the result may not reflect the worker’s usual condition during production. That can make a dangerous workplace appear less hazardous than it is.

MBC reported that DN Automotive appeared to be trying to keep workers’ blood lead below 30 micrograms per deciliter. The article identifies that figure as the threshold bringing workers under government oversight. The alleged injections therefore could have hidden evidence that would otherwise trigger closer monitoring, corrective action, or treatment for exposure.

The labor ministry judged that the injections undermined government measures designed to protect workers’ health. It referred the company to police for investigation and ordered checks for similar practices elsewhere. Investigators are examining workers’ exposure, how the injections were administered, and whether medical examination results were concealed.

The labor ministry began investigating after receiving a tip in late January. Its inspection found 88 violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Sixty-eight were referred to prosecutors, while 20 resulted in fines totaling 46.2 million won. The ministry also asked police to investigate alleged obstruction of business.

The Ulsan Metropolitan Police Agency summoned company officials and staff from the hospital that administered the injections. Lee ordered the ministry and investigators to examine workers’ exposure, how the injections came to be given, and whether medical examination results were concealed. Parliament also called for DN Automotive’s CEO and affected workers to testify.

The investigation is broader than one plant. The ministry is inspecting 14 other battery plants, while MBC reported a similar investigation at a lead-acid battery factory in Gwangju. Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon pledged to submit inspection records. Police and prosecutors will determine whether further legal action follows.

The safer alternative is prevention at the workplace, not medication before testing. Employers should reduce lead at its source through safer processes, enclosure, ventilation, housekeeping, and controls that prevent contaminated dust or fumes from spreading. Workers should receive training, suitable protective equipment, and facilities that prevent carrying contamination home.

Employers should also use regular, accurate exposure monitoring and medical examinations. Workers need clear information about hazards, symptoms, test results, and treatment choices. If testing shows concerning exposure, an independent qualified clinician should decide what care is appropriate. Chelation should be reserved for medically indicated poisoning, not used to lower a result before a checkup.

These safeguards matter because the article reports production lead levels more than five times above the permissible limit. The labor ministry halted lead-handling processes and is inspecting other plants. The case shows why employers must correct hazardous conditions and preserve honest health records rather than trying to make exposure appear lower.

Lead commonly enters the body when a person breathes contaminated dust or fumes or swallows lead transferred from dirty hands, food, or surfaces. Workplace exposure can therefore occur during production, cleanup, or handling contaminated equipment. The article establishes that lead levels at the plant exceeded the permissible limit, but it does not detail every exposure route.

Once absorbed, lead circulates in the blood and can reach organs and tissues. Repeated exposure can interfere with the nervous system and brain, damage the kidneys, and disrupt blood production. It can also affect other organs and remain harmful when exposure continues. These are established medical facts beyond the article’s specific discussion.

That is why accurate monitoring and hazard control matter. A temporary reduction in blood lead before a checkup cannot make the workplace safe or undo accumulated harm. In this case, officials are examining workers’ exposure and possible concealed results while inspections extend to 14 other battery plants.