South Korea: A month after a ferry in South Korea sank, killing more than 300 passengers, the South Korean President delivered a fresh apology on Monday. Addressing the nation, Park Geun-hye apologised saying that as a President responsible for the people’s lives and safety, I offer a heartfelt apology for the pains the people have suffered.
“I think these people are the real heroes. I propose to build a monument in respect of the victims. I again pay respect to those people who passed away during the incident and express my deep condolence to the families,” she said.
On April 16th this year, a ferry met with an accident while it was on the way to Jeju Island. The incident had killed nearly 300 people with some being missing. 172 passengers had survived during the incident while many others died and some went missing. Amongst the passengers killed, most were school students who were on their field trip while the ferryboat sank in the sea leaving many dead.
The government, since then, has been surrounded by criticism over the incident. In the aftermath, Prime Minister Chung Hong-won had also resigned.
Blames were imposed on the ferry crew as they failed to save the lives of the people on board. A CNN news report published has those probable reasons which may have led to the sinking of the ferry. According to the news report, the South Korean investigators have said that Sewol was overloaded; Prosecutors have said that the cargo on the ship was not properly secured; Crew insisted Passengers stay put; the captain abandoned the ship while the passengers were told not to move; Inexperienced crew members steered the ship; Delays on notifying proper authorities of the accident and ships modifications raise questions.
In this whole incident, the CEO and some crew have been charged. The Sewol ship belonged to Cheonghaejin Marine Company and its CEO, Kim Han-sik has now been charged in this disaster matter. BBC reported that officers from the Ferry’s operator and a company that conducted safety check on the vessel prior to the incident have also been arrested.
Investigators have said that the ship was carrying excess of cargo.
CNN quoted Investigators who said, “Since the Sewol began the Incheon-Jeju route in March 2013, the ferry carried excess cargo 139 times.”
Another statement from Investigators, quoted by CNN: “Cheonghaejin Marine earned an extra 62 million South Korean won ($62,000) for the excess cargo on the April 16 voyage, and nearly 3 billion South Korean won ($2.9 million) in extra profit for all of the excess cargo that the ferry carried since March 2013.”
Today, as the South Korean President was addressing, tears rolled out of her eyes. She slammed the coast guards too. She said that they failed in their duty to carry out rescue operations. The President also said that she would dismantle the country’s coast guard.
Tags: Cheonghaejin Marine Park Geun-hye Sewol South Korea South Korean ferry accident
