Seoul (AsiaNews/Agencies) - The environmental disaster that struck the western coast of Korea last month is also beginning to claim human victims: Lee Yonug-kwon, an oyster farmer in Taean, killed himself by drinking pesticide our of desperation over losing any means of supporting himself.

Last December 7, the Hebei Spirit, an oil tanker from Hong Kong, spilled 15,000 tonnes of oil after striking a sea crane near the port of Taean, south of Seoul. Stunned by the environmental disaster - the worst ever in Korea - more than a million volunteers have come from all over the country to clean up the beaches. The residents, however, are afraid that marine life will not recover.

The disaster struck first of all the fishing industry, which has been completely destroyed, and seriously damaged the tourism industry: thousands of people have been put out of work. Yonug-kwon's relatives lay the blame for his suicide on the government, which they accuse of having done nothing to help those truly harmed by the oil spill, and the ocean transport companies, which have refused to pay damages.

Lee's daughter Nan-sook asked during his funeral, "Why did you have to die when the people who sprayed black oil on your oyster farm are living and breathing?". The more than 10,000 inhabitants of Taean present at the ceremony also supported the accusations against the government.

Kin Jin-mook, leader of the community, says "What does the government think it is doing, when it says it will provide the funds to help us 'within a year'? Do they think they are solving our problem?". Kim is referring to the lives of the inhabitants, most of whom are fishermen who live on what they catch from day to day. He is supported by Chung Nak-chu, who concludes, "The ocean is dead, so what do we live for now? This was our lifeline for thousands of years that fed our children".