Friday, January 18, 2008
Man sets himself on fire in anger over oil spill compensation (4:53 p.m.)
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - A South Korean man trying to commit suicide set himself on fire Friday during a protest calling for swift government compensation for the country's worst-ever oil spill, an official said.
Ji Chang-hwan drank herbicide and set himself ablaze with gasoline during an anti-government protest that drew about 10,000 residents, said Cho Hyuk, an official with a residents' association in Taean County, about 150 kilometers (95 miles), southwest of Seoul.
The 56-year-old Ji, who runs a raw fish restaurant, was quickly taken to a nearby hospital where he was in a critical condition, Cho said.
Last month, a super tanker leaked 78,920 barrels of oil into South Korea's western waters after being hit by a wayward barge, jeopardizing the ecosystem and the livelihood of an area that includes popular beaches and fishing grounds.
The government promised to provide residents with financial aid, but disbursements have been bogged down in bureaucratic delays. An association of residents in the area has called for legislation to ensure the swift provision of aid.
Earlier this month, two residents - one fisherman and one oyster farmer - killed themselves by taking poison after complaining of delayed aid provisions, Cho said.
More than 1 million coast guard officers, soldiers, residents and volunteer workers have taken part in efforts to clean up the spill, but it is not known when the operation can be completed, said Kang Jin-sung, a local coast guard official.
On Friday, 17,000 people were mobilized for the cleanup work, he said. (AP) |
