Seoul: Korean Register and current IACS Chairman, Kong-Gyun Oh has revealed that master and chief officer of the Hebei Spirit were detained for 16 months for withholding information rather than creating the situation that resulted in Korea’s largest oil spill.

Although the precise nature of the alleged information remains undisclosed, Oh is reported as claiming that the seafarers “hid some information that was revealed to be untrue and they manipulated some VDR information,” and is said t have added that the western media were not fully appraised of all the facts in the case.

Oh’s reluctance to reveal the details of the charges has angered industry members, particularly those in charge of a weblog demanding justice for the Hebei Spirit. “Given Mr Oh’s failure to provide any supporting information or evidence for his statements it would be surprising if anyone, let alone the western media, were fully across all the facts in this case,” the blog states.

“In light of the above, Mr Oh’s comment that he was now trying to pressure the Korean government and industry to change laws to ensure ‘this kind of ill treatment of seafarers does not happen’ seems rather cynical,” it concluded.  [26/03/09]