Prosecutors have requested an arrest warrant against former chief of Reckitt Benckiser(RB) Korea, John Lee, on manslaughter and other charges related to the deaths caused by toxic humidifier sterilizers.

Prosecutors said Tuesday they are seeking to arrested Lee, saying he failed to take proper measures despite consumer complaints about chest pain, breathing trouble and other health conditions blamed on RB's sterilizer products.

The Korean American is also suspected of overseeing the company’s advertisement that claimed the product is safe to use for children.

Lee served as the head of RB Korea between June 2005 and May 2010. His predecessor, Shin Hyun-woo, was arrested for allegedly approving the whole process of development, sales and marketing of the toxic products.

During the prosecution questioning held twice on June Sixth and May 23rd, Lee claimed that he was not aware of the harmful effects of the product. 

According to the South Korean government's estimates last year, over 220 people are classified as class one or two victims with likely causal ties between their lung problems and RB Korea or other manufacturers' humidifier sterilizers. Of them 95 have died. Among 530 people investigated, 80 percent said they used the RB Korea product.