Study: No health risks at Samsung semiconductor factories

Seoul (CNN) -- A health study on the working conditions at Samsung Electronics' semiconductor factories concluded Thursday that there are no health risks posed at South Korean workers, disappointing former employees battling the electronics giant and government agencies for compensation.

The Samsung-commissioned study, conducted by U.S.-based firm Environ, concluded there is no scientific link to the diagnosis of leukemia of several ex-plant workers, but failed to immediately release data backing the conclusion, citing sensitivity over trade secrets.

"We will consider releasing data excluding trade secrets," Kwon Oh-hyun, President of Samsung Electronics Device Solutions, said at a news conference.

Former Samsung plant workers and bereaved family members have been fighting for work injury compensation since 2009 and believe the substances used for manufacturing semiconductor parts has led to leukemia and rare forms of cancer.

Supporters of the former employees questioned the validity of the report.

"They have not addressed any of the controversial issues and continued to lay out abstract answers. It seems like it was all a huge show," said Kong Jeong-ok, a researcher at the Korea Institute of Labor Safety and Health and avid supporter of the former Samsung workers' group.

An administrative court ruled late June in favor of two ex-employees, who died of leukemia after working at the same production line, in a suit filed against the country's workers' compensation agency. It marked the first victory for a group of more than 70 people who claim to have physical ailments or disorders caused by working conditions at Samsung plants.

Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service filed an appeal to the Seoul court some hours after Samsung announced its results to the media.

Family members of the former employees visited the government compensation agency earlier this week demanding they respect the court's decision and not appeal. An official at the agency said they had made the decision to appeal Wednesday.

The Samsung-commissioned report studied the working conditions of three production lines at two separate facilities and examined six specific cases to determine whether the manufacturing environment caused leukemia.

Samsung confirmed the six cases coincide with the victims who filed the law suit against the government's compensation agency, adding the study was commissioned as bereaved family members were unsatisfied with previous studies conducted by the country's occupational safe and health agency.

Members of the Samsung Electronics' support group expressed their disbelief at the study's results and the compensation agency's decision to appeal.

"For the first time in four years, we were able to gain recognition for work-related compensation. It is unacceptable that the agency which is meant to protect the rights of workers is going against a court ruling and appealing," said Lee Jong-ran, one of the organizers of the group.

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