Government to Enforce “The Reporting System of Departures to a Uniquely Dangerous Region”

On December 1, the Ministry of Construction and Transportation decided to suggest an introduction of “The Reporting System of Departure from the Country” (tentative name) to related ministries, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, in order to manage and check the present conditions of domestic corporations entering uniquely dangerous regions.

After holding “The emergent countermeasure conference over the Korean construction companies based abroad” presided by the minister of the Ministry of Construction and Transportation, Choi Jong-chan, ministry officials said, “We decided to propose an introduction of the reporting system to related ministries due to the fact that management of companies based abroad has not been attentive.”

Im Ju-bin, director of construction aboard, said, “With our present system, we hardly notice whether a company like Omu Electric Co. has entered the Iraqi territory,” and emphasized, “It is necessary to go through an inspection procedure when a company departs to a uniquely dangerous region such as Iraq or when it enters a planned designation.”

The Ministry of Construction and Transportation will propose the introduction of the system as soon as possible. Executives from major construction companies, including Hyundai Engineering and Construction, Daewoo Engineering and Construction, and Samsung Engineering and Construction, attended the conference.

Jae-Seong Hwang jsonhng@donga.com