A court ruling ordering the state to compensate the family of a teacher in their 20s who died after suspected thrombosis symptoms following a COVID-19 vaccination has been finalized. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency dropped its appeal but cautioned against overinterpretation, saying the decision did not recognize a scientific causal link between the vaccine and the death.
According to the agency on the 10th, the Seoul Administrative Court last month ruled in favor of the plaintiff in a suit to cancel the denial of compensation filed by the family of a teacher surnamed Hwang, who died with suspected thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) after a COVID-19 vaccination. The ruling was finalized on the 5th after the agency decided not to appeal.
Hwang received a first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in Jul. 2021 and showed abnormal symptoms, receiving a suspected diagnosis of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia. Hwang later received treatment but died in Sep. the same year from acute liver failure and septic shock. Hwang was 24.
The court found that even if a causal relationship between vaccination and disease is not medically proven clearly, causality can be inferred through indirect facts. It cited, in particular, the appearance of abnormal symptoms nine days after vaccination.
The agency had maintained that the thrombosis stemmed from a worsening of Hwang's underlying Kimura disease, but the court found it hard to conclude that Kimura disease was the main cause of the thrombosis.
The agency said, "The court also saw that the causal relationship between an mRNA Vaccine and thrombosis has not been sufficiently proven and that the basis to judge it is also lacking," adding, "We understand this ruling as determining, in line with the intent of the special COVID-19 law, that even without sufficient scientific proof, compensation may be granted based on indirect facts."
It added that this ruling does not apply as-is to all similar cases and that the timing of vaccination, the onset and course of symptoms, the presence of underlying conditions, and medical records must be reviewed individually. The agency said, "We respect the court's decision and will not appeal," and added, "We pray for the deceased and extend our deepest condolences to the bereaved family."