Korea's East-West Power and HJ Shipbuilding Condemn Ulsan Collapse

East Korea Power and HJ Shipbuilding & Construction Co. formally expressed their apologies to the public and the families of the victims...

East Korea Power and HJ Shipbuilding & Construction Co. formally expressed their apologies to the public and the families of the victims on the 13th concerning the collapse incident at the Ulsan Thermal Power Plant. A week has passed since the accident took place.

The client for the boiler tower demolition project, which involved a collapse incident, is Korea East-West Power.

Kwon Myung-ho, the head of Korea East-West Power, addressed the media at the location of the incident that morning, expressing his apologies, stating, "We are truly sorry for creating public worry." He further mentioned, "We extend our sympathies to the grieving families and hope for the rest of those who have passed away."

President Kwon said, "Every employee is collaborating with construction-related partners to offer comprehensive company-wide support, ensuring prompt help for the affected families and victims, as well as quick on-site restoration." He further mentioned, "We will investigate the cause of the incident and implement effective measures based on the results."

He stated, "The shutdown and removal of old power plants is an essential responsibility," and further noted, "We will review all steps involved in the decommissioning process to ensure such a disaster does not happen again."

Concerning questions regarding legal liability, he stated, "The appropriate authorities are conducting an investigation, and we will be accountable for any parts verified by the findings of the inquiry."

HJ Shipbuilding and Construction Co., a construction firm, issued a public apology at the accident location for the first time that day.

Kim Wan-seok, the CEO of HJ Shipbuilding & Construction Co., stated, "We sincerely apologize to the grieving families who have endured irreversible pain," and mentioned, "We are utilizing all our resources to bring the last missing individual back to their family."

He stated, "We will finish the rescue mission as quickly as possible and issue another report."

The two firms addressed the delay in their apology, stating, "We focused on rescuing those who were missing."

Even though there was no official apology made public, they stated that staff members individually met with the families of the deceased, those who went missing, and the families of the injured to express their heartfelt apologies.

Nevertheless, some critiques highlight that this differs from other companies, which have recently been prompt in not only handling incidents resulting in injuries but also offering apologies and implementing steps to avoid future occurrences.

A representative from a large corporation remarked, "Issuing an apology eight days after a significant disaster appears to be a weak reaction," and noted, "They might also encounter backlash for delaying their response until public interest had decreased."

The Ulsan City Branch of the Democratic Party of Korea, which has a dedicated team managing the incident, stated, "We cannot help but feel that the apology was issued solely because of public backlash against the companies' lackluster reaction," and added, "Although it's late, we hope it offers some solace to the families."

Approximately 2:02 p.m. on the 6th, Boiler Tower No. 5, which stood 63 meters tall, 25 meters wide, and 15.5 meters deep, fell at Korea East-West Power’s Ulsan Thermal Power Plant. Of the nine workers on site, two were saved, while seven were trapped. Out of the seven who were buried, six have been found, but one individual is still missing.