South Korea groups ask for investigation into Laos dam 'collapse'

July 25 (UPI) -- South Korean civic groups are holding their government accountable, following the collapse of a hydropower dam that has resulted in hundreds missing and thousands displaced in southeast Laos.

The People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy and the Korean Federation for Environment Movement were among the groups who said Wednesday public utility Korea Western Power and SK Construction, a South Korean company, were partly responsible for the dam collapse in Attapeu province, Yonhap reported.

The $1.2 billion dam is a project of Vientiane-based Xi-Pian Xe-Namnoy Power Company, or PNPC, but SK Construction and Korea Western Power were responsible for building the structure.

The dam was completed ahead of schedule, in April, and was expected to be in operation by February 2019.

In its statement, PSPD said the dam was funded in part by Seoul's Official Development Assistance, and for this reason the government should "help with settling the incident."

"This is an extremely unusual and tragic accident, and its cause must be identified," PSPD said in its statement.

The group also criticized responses to the incident from stakeholders.

"SK Construction says the dam collapsed owing to 'flood overflow' and Korea Western Power is describing the incident as a 'collapse'," the PSPD said. "The exact cause of the accident must be identified, and light must be shed on whether mistakes occurred during the selection of the location, or during construction."

The Korean Federation for Environmental Movement said accelerating the dam's completion could have contributed to its collapse.

KPL, the Laos news agency, reported there is now an estimated 6,600 displaced persons.

At least 20 have died and 100 people are missing, according to the BBC.