Stefan Mileschin

Samsung has been given a pathetic fine of $923 (1 million won) after it delayed reporting an acid gas leak at one of its chip factories where one worker was killed and four were injured.

Investigators are claiming that the company is also holding back evidence regarding the incident.

According to Yonhap News, the multi-billion dollar company and its subcontractor - STI Service - were hit with the fine for breaking the Toxic Chemicals Control Act, which dictates that companies must immediately inform the government if a leak occurs.

However, it is claimed that Samsung failed to contact the authorities until a worker died a few hours later in hospital.

The leak at the main semiconductor plant in Hwaseong, 60 kilometres south of Seoul, was said to have started in one of the pipes and police consulted company officials to set up an investigation as to what happened.

They have said they want to find out whether the deceased worker had protective clothing on. They said that initial CCTV showed that he had entered the gas room with just a mask, which broke regulations.

However, they claim that Samsung has not been very forthcoming with its answers, and failed to give police relevant data, leading to claims that the company is covering something up.

A total of 16 workers and officials have also been questioned but have proved to be unhelpful, the authorities have said.

As a result police are now threatening to raid the company's offices to gain access to daily patrol and emergency logs.

http://news.techeye.net/business/sam...-killed-worker