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Privateer
Joined: 31 Aug 2005 Location: Easy Street.
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Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2008 5:09 am Post subject: Oil tanker blamed for being hit by a barge |
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Another great article by Michael Breen:
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/opinon/2008/12/170_36340.html
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When the court in the Taean oil spill case last week found the giant anchored oil tanker guilty of being rammed by a runaway barge, seismometers all over the world recorded a logic-quake of 7.5 on the Richter scale.
For a full grasp of why, we need to recap events that led to the worst oil spill in Korean history.
In December 2007, two tugs were towing a crane barge in heavy seas near the west coast port of Daesan when one of the towlines snapped. Unable to steer, the out-of-control barge collided with the Hong Kong-registered Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) Hebei Spirit, which was at anchor waiting for a berth at the port. |
The logic seems to be oil-was-spilled-on-Korean-coast, oil-tanker-is-Chinese, therefore it's-tanker's-fault - and never mind the fact that it was hit by a barge being towed by Korean tugs after a cable snapped and it got away.
Unbelievable. |
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Hater Depot
Joined: 29 Mar 2005
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Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2008 6:09 am Post subject: |
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I'm of two minds about the case.
One the one hand, it's exhibit A in the brief "why foreign capital in South Korea is drying up faster than an open bar".
But on the other hand, considering the nature of Korean law, it's unlikely the tanker would have escaped punishment. This is a country where you can get hit by a bus at a red light and be held 20% at fault. |
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Guri Guy

Joined: 07 Sep 2003 Location: Bamboo Island
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Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2008 7:00 am Post subject: |
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I liked Breen's interpretation of this travesty of justice. He calls justice in this country akin to "mob rule".
Hopefully Samsung and South Korea will receive a lesson in real justice soon. |
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