Libya's government has promised to make compensation for the damage inflicted on international construction firms, including those from South Korea, during rioting earlier this month, an official said Monday.
Hundreds of Libyan people raided four South Korean-run construction sites in the African nation on Jan. 14-15, destroying heavy equipment, looting money and other valuables, and setting vehicles and other facilities on fire, according to company officials.
One South Korean company official was injured during the rioting.
The disturbance appears to have happened after residents misunderstood a senior Libyan official's remark that homes being built in Libya belong to the Libyan people and that they have the right to live in those houses, according to media reports.
Company officials have said the damage is estimated at around 45 billion won ($40 million).
"The Libyan government has said it will make compensation. We will start assessing the damage and our embassy in Libya will try to help our companies receive as much compensation as possible," a foreign ministry official said.
About 100 Libyan people are still occupying one South Korean-run construction site and police are trying to persuade them to leave, the official said.