Welcome the Korean NCP’s decision to offer good offices to SK E&C and Korea Western Power 

The Korean Civil Society TF must express its deep regret at the Korean NCP’s decision to exclude the Export-Import Bank of Korea from the mediation process.

SK E&C and Korea Western Power must faithfully participate in the mediation process.

October 10, 2019

On September 25, the Korean National Contact Point of OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises (referred to as the Korean NCP in this statement) presented its initial assessment of a complaint about the violation of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises regarding the collapse of the Xe Pian -Xe Nam Noy Dam. The Korean NCP made the decision to offer good offices in the future with SK Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd., and Korea Western Power Co. Ltd., taking into account their interests and the significance of the matter. On the other hand, the Export-Import Bank of Korea was excluded in the future mediation process on the grounds that it is an executive agency of the Official Development Assistance (ODA), this is not subject to the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. Korean Civil Society Task Force Team for the Xe Pian Xe-Namnoy Dam Collapse (referred to as the Korean Civil Society TF in this statement) welcomes the Korean NCP’s decision regarding the mediation process with SK Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd., and Korea Western Power Co. Ltd., and urges the two entities to faithfully undertake the mediation process. However, it laments the Korean NCP’s decision to exclude the Export-Import Bank of Korea from the mediation process.

On June 17, the Korean Civil Society TF filed a complaint to the Korean NCP against SK Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd., Korea Western Power Co. Ltd. and the Export-Import Bank of Korea about the violation of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises regarding the collapse of the Xe Pian Xe-Namnoy Dam. In specific, the complaint pointed out △ that there existed a flaw in the design and the construction of the dam, △that the damage increased due to the delay in emergency water discharge carried out by SK Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd., and Korea Western Power Co. Ltd, △the failure to take proper initial measures upon the collapse of the dam such as the absence of an evacuation order, △the failure to implement safety measures despite the mentioning of environmental risk response plan in the Environmental Impact Assessment Report, △the failure of the Export-Import Bank of Korea to conduct due diligence in the process of implementing its management and financial advisory contracts, △their refusal to communicate with civil society and to respond to information disclosure request.

Regarding the complaint filed by the Korean Civil Society TF, the Korean NCP has concluded that SK Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd., and Korea Western Power Co. Ltd have interests because 1. SK Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd. is in charge of the design and construction, 2. Korea Western Power Co. Ltd is in charge of the operation of the dam after construction, and 3. both entities are shareholders of PNPC, the joint investment venture and principal agent of the Xe Pian Xe-Namnoy hydroelectric project. Furthermore, the Korean NCP acknowledged the need to contribute to resolving the issue through dialogues initiated by the Korean NCP and to proceed with the mediation process as the Korean Civil Society TF, SK Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd., and Korea Western Power Co. Ltd all acknowledge that the issue is critical.

However, it is very regrettable that the Export-Import Bank of Korea would be excluded from the conciliation process due to a lack of precedent. In line with the complaint filed regarding the “Jalaur River Multi-purpose project” in the Philippines, the Korean NCP concluded that the Export-Import Bank of Korea is classified as an agency founded and operated according to the Special Act to achieve national policy objectives, thus the project is of no commercial purpose to the bank. Hence, the Korean NCP ruled that concessional funding and associated financial advisory activities are not subject to the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. However, the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises does not explain nor leaves room for interpretation that only projects with commercial purposes are subject to the guidelines. Nevertheless, the Korean NCP is repeating its claim that there is no precedent in which the guidelines were applied to Official Development Assistance, referring to cases brought to the national contact points of other nations. The Korean NCP must take preemptive measures such as applying the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises without exception, including all financial assistance. 

A year has passed since the collapse of the Xe Pian-Xe Nam Noy Dam. The tragedy has had a detrimental effect on the Laotian residents. They are residing in temporary shelters, not knowing when they would be able to return to ordinary lives. The Korean Civil Society TF hopes that the mediation process initiated by the Korean NCP with SK Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd., and Korea Western Power Co. Ltd would lead to meaningful relief for the victims and further contribute to the provision of recurrence prevention measures. The Korean NCP must promptly initiate the mediation process and while SK Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd. and Korea Western Power Co. Ltd must faithfully participate in the mediation process. The Export-Import Bank of Korea must also fulfill its role and take accountability for all its actions as an executive agency of Official Development Assistance.

Korean Civil Society Task Force Team for the Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy Dam Collapse

Energy & Climate Policy Institute / Korean Federation for Environmental Movement/ KTNC Watch / PEACE MOMO / People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy / PIDA

Joint Statement [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fY-FdaulSzfuXK_u1EVbXiHxOr0fVGTR5DBx... target="_blank" rel="nofollow">See/Download]

http://www.peoplepower21.org/index.php?mid=International&document_srl=16... target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Korean Version >> 

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토탈(Total)의 미얀마 가스송출사업 배당금 지급 중단 환영한다 

포스코 인터내셔널도 가스전 배당금 지급 중단하라

어제(5/26) 미얀마 야다나(Yadana) 가스전 사업의 운영사인 초국적 자원개발기업 https://www.total.com/media/news/press-releases/Myanmar-MGTC-Shareholder... target="_blank" rel="nofollow">토탈(Total)은 지난 5월 12일에 열린 모아타마 가스송출회사(Moattama Gas Transportation Company Limited) 주주총회를 통해 미얀마 군부의 돈줄로 꼽히는 합작 법인에 대한 배당금 지급 중단을 결정했다고 밝혔다. 이에 따라 미얀마 국영석유가스공사(MOGE)가 보유중인 15%의 지분에 대한 배당금 지급도 중단되었다. 토탈은 미얀마 군부의 폭력과 인권유린을 규탄하고, 유럽연합(EU)과 미국이 군부를 제재한다면 이에 동참할 의사도 밝혔다. 미얀마 민주주의를 지지하는 한국시민사회단체모임은 이와 같은 토탈의 결정을 환영하며, MOGE와 함께 미얀마 슈웨(Shwe) 가스전 사업을 추진중인 포스코 인터내셔널 역시 군부와의 관계를 단절하고 배당금 지급을 중단할 것을 요구한다.

이번 토탈의 배당금 지급 중단 결정은 미얀마 군부로 흘러들어가는 국가지분(state share), 로열티(royalty), 운영비용(operating cost) 등은 포함되어 있지 않아 제한적인 금액에 불과하다는 한계가 있다. 또 이번 토탈이 지급유예를 결정한 가스송출사업과 별도로, 여전히 야다나 가스전에서 가스 추출은 계속되고 있으며 이에 따른 배당금 및 각종 대금은 군부가 장악하고 있는 MOGE로 지급되고 있어 국가를 불법적으로 찬탈하고 있는 미얀마 군부의 자금줄이 되고 있다는 사실은 변함없다.

미얀마 민주주의를 지지하는 한국시민사회단체모임은 미얀마 슈웨 가스전 사업의 운영사인 포스코 인터내셔널과 8.5%의 지분으로 참여하고 있는 한국가스공사가 지금까지 어떠한 실효적인 조치를 내놓지 못하고 있다는 점에 심각한 우려를 표한다. 또한 포스코와 한국가스공사의 주주로 참여하고 있는 국민연금 등의 주요 투자자들이 슈웨 가스전 사업에서 발생하는 모든 대금의 지급 중단을 결정하도록 행동에 나설 것을 촉구한다. 

쿠데타를 일으킨 미얀마 군부는 지난 4개월 동안 1,000여명에 달하는 시민들을 학살하고, 민주주의를 향한 시민들의 열망을 탄압하고 있다. 쿠데타 세력은 미얀마 가스전 사업에서 올해 약 1조 6천억원에 달하는 대금을 지급받을 것으로 예상되며, 여기에는 포스코가 지급하는 배당금(2015~2019년 기준, 매년 2,000~4,000억원)도 포함되어 있다. 이는 미얀마 시민을 학살하거나 이들의 경제적 토대를 공고히 하는데 기여할 것으로 보인다. 포스코와 한국가스공사는 미얀마 군부의 자금줄이 되고 있는 가스전 사업의 배당금 지급을 중단하고, 책임있는 조치를 즉각 취해야 한다. 

논평 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1e3Y_IReLntYd5gJG0p8QUHTOxiq-Ozzut0xg... target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[원문보기/다운로드]