Samsung Heavy requests limit on oil spill compensation

SEOUL, Dec. 22 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Heavy Industries Co. has requested a Seoul
court to place a ceiling on the amount of compensation that may be levied in a
civil suit launched by victims of an oil spill, court officials said Monday.

On Dec. 7, 2007, some 12,000 tons of crude oil spilled into the seas off of Taean
following a collision between an oil tanker owned by the Hong Kong-registered
Hebei Spirit Shipping Co. and a barge owned by Samsung Heavy, blackening beaches
and fish farms along the west coast.
Samsung Heavy recently filed a request with the Seoul Central District Court to
limit the amount of possible compensation from a civil lawsuit filed by some
7,500 fishermen in the region to under 5 billion won (US$38 million), court
officials said.
"Compensation for damages requested by fishermen exceed our estimated amount,"
Samsung said in its request, court officials said, without revealing the specific
amount requested in the class action.
Samsung and Hebei both were previously fined 30 million won in a criminal suit
ruling, while a number of their employees were given jail sentences. The separate
civil suit was filed early this month.
In June, the International Oil Pollution Compensation Funds estimated the damages
from the Taean spill may reach up to 573.5 billion won from a decrease in
tourists and a slowing down of the fishing industry.
odissy@yna.co.kr
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