• Journal of Environmental Policy
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.17-54
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• 2012

This paper researched market responses for listed companies in several industries affected by the major oil spill accident off the coast of Taean, in December 7, 2007. The Taean accident triggered considerable concerns in people over the possibility of potential future regulation in shipbuilding and petroleum industries. However, the accident also provided an unexpected business opportunity for environmental clean-up industry and shipbuilding industry. The oil spill triggered the acceleration of the enactment of policies that require all new oil tankers to be constructed with double hull, which is interpreted as a good news for shipbuilding industry. Increased public pressure coupled with the prospect of tightened regulation is expected to decrease the market values of firms in the affected business fields. The stock prices of shipbuilding companies dropped after the incident but dramatically surged after the enactment of the policy in January 31, 2008. Our study also found that companies with more extensive prior environmental disclosure had less negative market reactions during the first sixteen days following the accident.