Chairman of the National Health Insurance Corporation, "Smoking is an obvious carcinogen..."Tobacco company is responsible."

Jeong Ki-seok, chairman of the National Health Insurance Corporation, said smoking is a clear and key carcinogen, and the World Health Organization classifies secondhand smoking as a first-class carcinogen.

Chairman Chung, who attended the appeals trial for damages filed by the National Health Insurance Service against tobacco companies, argued that tobacco companies should be held responsible for concealing the addiction of cigarettes and delaying their notification.

He also stressed that not holding tobacco companies accountable would be a serious error in denying the right to health not only for victims but also for society as a whole.

Earlier in April 2014, the NHIC filed a lawsuit against KT&G, Philip Morris Korea, and BAT Korea claiming 53.3 billion won in compensation, demanding that the corporation pay medical expenses for smoking.

However, in the first trial, which lasted for more than six years, the court ruled in favor of the tobacco company, saying that it may have been caused by factors other than smoking.