Seoul High Court on Tuesday rejected South Korea's first lawsuit against a tobacco company.

The appeals court partially upheld a lower court ruling, finding no direct evidence that the victims' cases were caused directly by cigarettes produced by KT&G.
The case began in 1999 when 36 people – cancer sufferers or relatives – sued KT&G, the former state monopoly and the country's largest tobacco firm. Five of the plaintiffs have since died.
The plaintiffs argued that long-time smoking caused the disease. They said the company failed in its duty to inform victims of the dangers of smoking by concealing most of its manufacturing records.
They sought about KRW 365 million (EUR 240,000) but both sides described the suit as a test case and said money was not the main issue. The lawyer for the plaintiffs, Bae Geum-Ja, said she would take the case to the Supreme Court.
A lower court rejected their claim in 2007, citing insufficient evidence to prove a direct link between individual illnesses and smoking and inadequate evidence of flawed products. That court said KT&G did not violate its obligations because it printed a warning message on packs.
The appeals court acknowledged a "dynamic" link between smoking and cancer but said there was no illegal conduct in KT&G's cigarette design, production or warning messages. "There is no evidence to prove that cancer was caused directly by KT&G's cigarettes," it said.
However, judges urged tobacco firms to be more aware of their social duty and set up clinics. They said the current case could open the door for future damages suits. (pi)