By Kim Tae-jong
Staff Reporter
Hundreds of thousands of volunteers have visited Taean, South Chungcheong Province, to clean up the nation's worst oil spill. Thanks to this support, the blackened shore seems to be cleaner to some extent, but residents in the region are struggling with near-zero income and negligence in compensation payments.
They need volunteers but what they need more are tourists who can spend money and help revive businesses left on the brink of bankruptcy ― especially at the time of the traditional Seollal or Lunar New Year holiday.
Their businesses, which largely depend on tourism as well as maritime resources, have been devastated, leaving them a doubtful future.
Fisheries, restaurant owners, farmers and other residents in the region remained depressed along with their failing businesses.
``Only a few people have come here to eat sushi. Most people think we sell contaminated seafood, which is not true'' said Moon Seung-il, an owner of raw-fish restaurant Mongsanpo in Taean. ``We're really thankful to all the volunteers, but what we also need are tourists as we have suffered the worst recession because of the oil leak.''
The fish and other seafood at the restaurant comes from other clean areas and they undergo regular inspections, Moon said.
Before the oil spill, Taean was one of the nation's most popular places for tourists with its scenic west coast beaches, beautiful resorts and numerous seafood restaurants. But now they are just collecting dust.
While the rest of the nation is preparing for Seollal, or the Lunar New Year's Day holidays, the residents are going out to clean up the oil and cannot even think of making food for the annual ancestor-worshipping ritual.
As the holiday lasts for more than five days from Wednesday through Sunday, without the oil leak it would have been the busiest time for owners of motels and seafood restaurants in the region.
``Last year, all our rooms were fully booked during the weekend even in the winter, but now no one comes here,'' Shin Bok-su, owner of Pine Bay Pension, said. ``We've had about 2.5 million won in losses every month since the accident.''
Not all the Taean and other areas in the west coast are affected by the oil leak and they need holidaymakers to survive, Shin said, calling for the government's support to revive the regional economy as well as the clean-up efforts.
Meanwhile, the delay in compensation for residents in the damaged areas seems to leave residents even more helpless.
Although the government has offered ``emergency aid'' to the residents depending on damage, residents voiced their anger over the small amount of money as well as what they call the unreliable way damage is assessed.