ZCZC
BFF-48
S.KOREAN-PRESIDENT-RELIEF-LAOS
S.Korean president orders immediate dispatch of emergency relief team to
Laos
SEOUL, July 25, 2018 (BSS/Xinhua) – South Korean President Moon Jae-in on
Wednesday ordered an immediate dispatch of emergency relief team to Laos,
where hundreds went missing and thousands were displaced with the collapse of
a dam built by a South Korean consortium.
Moon ordered officials to draw up the government’s strong support measures
including the dispatch of emergency relief team to Laos, presidential
spokesman Kim Eui-keum told a press briefing.
The South Korean president said though the cause of the accident was yet
to be identified, the South Korean government should immediately and actively
participate in the relief activities given that South Korean firms were
involved in the construction of the dam.
The auxiliary dam in Laos, built by a South Korean consortium led by SK
Engineering & Construction, collapsed on Monday, leaving hundreds missing and
thousands of others displaced.
Dispute arose over the cause of the incident as some said the dam
collapsed because of heavy rains while others claimed it was the dam’s
collapse that led to the flood.
The South Korean government planned to dispatch a seven-member advance
team to Laos Thursday while sending more rescue workers and medial staff
after consulting with the Lao government.
BSS/Xinhua/MSY/1431 hrs