By Jhoo Dong-chan
The seashore in Taean, South Chungcheong Province, which suffered from a massive oil spill in 2007, will become a "dark tourism" destination with a memorial hall.
Dark tourism is tourism involving places historically associated with death or tragedy.
According to the provincial government, Wednesday, it will establish a memorial hall near Mallipo Beach where the nation's worst petroleum spill took place.
The hall will remind and encourage the public to prevent such disasters from happening again and commemorate the massive volunteer activities that helped clean up the spill from coastal waters and seashores.
"More than 1.2 million people came to Taean to help, and the region has recovered its beautiful scenic view and sea environment," an official at the provincial government said.
"We should remember their solidarity to overcome the difficulty."
Construction will begin in February in 2016 for a scheduled opening a year later.
The memorial hall will exhibit video footage and photos of people who participated in the volunteer work on the first floor of the hall, introducing how the region has recovered from such a terrible disaster.
It will also exhibit how oil spills have influenced people to direct their attention to the ocean and seashore and to the calamity of environmental disasters.
"We are deeply thankful to their dedication in helping restore the region's ecosystem," the official said.
In December 2007, a crane barge owned by Samsung Heavy Industries collided with the Hong Kong-based oil tanker, Hebei Spirit.
Although no casualties were reported, the collision resulted in the leaking of a total of some 12,000 tons of oil, the country's worst oil spill ever.
At least 30 beaches near the accident were affected and most of the region's sea farms lost their stock due to environmental damage.
More than 1.23 million volunteers ― from preschool children to seniors ― visited the area to help clean up oil in the coastal area.
The seashore in Taean, South Chungcheong Province, which suffered from a massive oil spill in 2007, will become a "dark tourism" destination with a memorial hall.
Dark tourism is tourism involving places historically associated with death or tragedy.
According to the provincial government, Wednesday, it will establish a memorial hall near Mallipo Beach where the nation's worst petroleum spill took place.
The hall will remind and encourage the public to prevent such disasters from happening again and commemorate the massive volunteer activities that helped clean up the spill from coastal waters and seashores.
"More than 1.2 million people came to Taean to help, and the region has recovered its beautiful scenic view and sea environment," an official at the provincial government said.
"We should remember their solidarity to overcome the difficulty."
Construction will begin in February in 2016 for a scheduled opening a year later.
The memorial hall will exhibit video footage and photos of people who participated in the volunteer work on the first floor of the hall, introducing how the region has recovered from such a terrible disaster.
It will also exhibit how oil spills have influenced people to direct their attention to the ocean and seashore and to the calamity of environmental disasters.
"We are deeply thankful to their dedication in helping restore the region's ecosystem," the official said.
In December 2007, a crane barge owned by Samsung Heavy Industries collided with the Hong Kong-based oil tanker, Hebei Spirit.
Although no casualties were reported, the collision resulted in the leaking of a total of some 12,000 tons of oil, the country's worst oil spill ever.
At least 30 beaches near the accident were affected and most of the region's sea farms lost their stock due to environmental damage.
More than 1.23 million volunteers ― from preschool children to seniors ― visited the area to help clean up oil in the coastal area.
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