Samsung Shirks Responsibility for Oil Spill
In December, Samsung was responsible for the worst oil spill in Korea’s history, a spill about 45 times larger that the recent spill in California. The oil caused widespread economic devastation up and down the coast and affected some of the most delicate marine ecosystems in the Yellow Sea. Still, nearly two months later, the electronics giant remains silent on its role in the spill, hoping, maybe, to sidestep its financial responsibility for the spill.
Last weekend, fish sellers affected by Korea’s massive oil spill held a protest calling for financial support as they try to recover their livelihoods. The protest turned tragic when one protester committed suicide by lighting himself on fire to demonstrate the severity of the troubles caused by the spill. His was the third such suicide since the spill.
Suicide is a horrible form of activism. Nevertheless, the continued demonstrations underscore the feeling that these people have been devastated and then abandoned by those responsible for the oil spill.
Koreans are very forgiving people. (If not for Japan’s denial of its use of WWII Korean sex slaves, they would have forgiven it for 20th century colonization and trying to wipe out the Korean culture… twice.) Moreover, they have enormous national pride in their three largest national corporations: Samsung, LG, and Hyundai. For Koreans to be this upset at Samsung shows true outrage at the remarkable neglect of Samsung officials for their own countrymen.
Why is Samsung responsible?
Environmental organizations like Birds Korea and Green Korea United agree with Korean demonstrators that Samsung should come forward and help financially with the cleanup.
On the morning of the spill, a tug ship and barge owned by Samsung recklessly set sail in rough waters with their radio tuned to the wrong frequency, making communication impossible. The boats sailed dangerously close to a large oil tanker, the Hebei Spirit, which was anchored offshore, waiting to bring oil to the Hyundai Oil Bank.
The tanker radioed the tug, then the Marine Police, who also tried contacting the Samsung tug. Communication attempts failed, of course, because Samsung’s vessel was on the wrong radio channel.
The Samsung barge was carrying cranes. Soon, high waves caused the tug to lose control of the barge and a crane smashed into the Hebei Spirit, rupturing the ship in three places.
Who else is responsible?
The Coast Guard has also found the operator of the Hong Kong-registered Hebei Spirit to be partially at fault for not trying to get out of the way of the Samsung vessels sooner. It’s expected that the tanker’s insurer, Skuld P&I, will cover part of the damages.
Picking up the slack for Samsung, the UK has also nobly offered support, though not financial. They are helping to supply cleanup outfits for the massive volunteer cleanup effort.
Really, the volunteers who continue to come out in support of their oil-devastated countrymen are the only ones giving the area affected by the spill any hope.
References and Resources
The Dark Side of Crude: Firsthand Accounts of Korea’s Oil Spill Cleanup | EcoWorldly
Massive Oil Spill Threatens Wetlands, National Park in South Korea | EcoWorldly
Tanker oil leak disaster looms | News.co.au
El accidente del Hebei Spirit | Marinos Mercantes
2007 Korea oil spill | Wikimedia
South Korea Samsung Oil Spill | AOL News
Tanker, tugs and barge all blamed in spill | Joongang Daily
UN Will Help Korea Clean Up Major Oil Spill | UN News Center (podcast)
Crude oil leak, South Korea | European Space Agency
Fish seller commits suicide in protest over S Korea oil spill: official | Yahoo! News
Photo Source:
Crude oil leak, South Korea | European Space Agency
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