hankyoreh

A collapse of the auxiliary dam for the Xepian-Xe Nam Noy hydroelectric power dam caused five billion tons of water to flood into the lower part of the Mekong River in Laos on July 24

A huge tragedy has occurred with the collapse of an auxiliary dam for the Xepian-Xe Nam Noy hydroelectric power dam currently being built in Laos by SK Engineering and Construction (E&C). Dozens are confirmed dead and hundreds more are missing, with thousands reported as having been evacuated. This truly is a horrific incident.

Construction of the Xepian-Xe Nam Noy dam began in Feb. 2013 following the establishment of a joint venture by SK E&C, Korea Western Power, and a Thai power company. It was scheduled for completed in February of next year. The South Korean government provided support in 2015 from its Economic Development Cooperation Fund for developing countries. With a South Korean company placed in charge of the building and assistance provided by the South Korean government, both SK E&C and the government should take responsibility for assisting the Laotian government in its response measures to the accident.

They should also take active steps to search for and rescue missing residents to ensure there are no further casualties. Beyond that, they need to do everything they can to provide support to the evacuees and compensate them for their losses. Follow-up efforts will be needed to restore the dam so that no additional damages occur. In that sense, President Moon Jae-in was right in his July 25 order to “establish strong government-level relief measures, including the dispatching of an emergency rescue crew.”

It’s also important to determine the exact cause of the disaster. According to SK E&C, the company notified authorities in Laos and began immediate recovery efforts after confirming the loss of the auxiliary dam’s upper level on the evening of July 22. But this attempt failed as heavy rains continued, blocking access to most of the roads leading to the dam, it said. The company also explained that the disaster occurred as a result of additional dam losses on July 23. Even if heavy rains were the direct cause that does not free SK from responsibility.

It had the responsibility of building a sturdy dam, taking the possibility of a worst-case scenario account. For that reason, some are arguing that the company’s “sloppy construction” was to blame. There needs to be a thorough investigation into any issues with the design, construction, and safety management, and SK should be held duly responsible.

Yet SK appears to be attempting to downplay its role in the disaster. This is a deeply wrong-headed approach. After first claiming the dam had “spilled over” and then claiming that “dam loss” was to blame, it now appears to be biting the bullet and admitting some responsibility, saying that while the dam did not collapse outright, the loss of the top portion could fairly be described as a “collapse.” SK needs to come clean with all of the facts. For it to conceal the truth of a tragedy that has caused the deaths and disappearance of hundreds of people in another country would blacken the reputation of South Koreans as a whole.

Please direct comments or questions to [english@hani.co.kr]