Koror-Babeldaob Bridge

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The Koror-Babeldaob Bridge is a bridge in Palau that connects Koror and Babeldaob Islands.

1 Collapse of the former KB Bridge
2 Japan-Palau Friendship Bridge
3 Trivia
4 External links

[edit] Collapse of the former KB Bridge

The construction of the first KB Bridge was contracted by Socio Construction, a South Korean company in 1977. Socio had offered to construct the bridge at half the cost of a proven competitive company. Almost immediately, the bridge's durability was questioned and citizens took safety measures such as driving slowly across it or keeping windows open so as to provide an emergency exit in case of collapse.

In September 26, 1996, the bridge suddenly collapsed due to poor construction methods and from poor maintenance due to lack of funds, and shut off fresh water and electricity between the islands. In addition, the collapse killed two people and injured four more. This caused the government to declare a state of emergency. By request of Kuniwo Nakamura, then the country's President and foreign minister, Japan provided emergency aid as well as a temporary bridge.

[edit] Japan-Palau Friendship Bridge

As the Palau government lacked sufficient funds to rebuild immediately, a new bridge to provide a steady transportation system was constructed with Japanese Grant Aid in ODA. Its construction began in 1997 by Kajima Corporation, a Japanese construction company, and was completed in December, 2001. It was named "Japan-Palau Friendship Bridge" on its opening ceremony on January 11, 2002. Ironically, Kajima had been a competitor of Socio.

[edit] Trivia

Even today, the original bridge's monument of celebrating its completion exist, but it has been vandalised to remove the word "Korea" from its inscription.[1]
The Palau government was unable to seek any compensation for damages as Socio had already disbanded following the collapse of Seongsu Bridge in 1994 ^{[citation needed]}.