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Tag: Sewol

  • South Korea Ferry Incident: Owner Missing, Crew Members Indicted

    The tragedy of the Sewol sinking has angered many South Koreans and observers from around the world.

    In an attempt to bring justice and closure to the situation, South Korean prosecutors are moving forward with plans to severely punish anyone connected with possibly causing the South Korean ferry disaster.

    All crew members responsible for the ship’s steering had been detained weeks ago on charges of negligence and violation of maritime laws.

    Now it is being reported that four of the ship’s crew members have been charged with manslaughter through gross negligence.

    The surviving crew members abandoned ship, leaving more than 300 people to drown as the vessel turned on its side and sank beneath the South Korean waters.

    If found guilty, these persons could face a penalty as severe as death. Though some feel this measure is unlikely, the emotions surrounding the sinking of the Sewol remain high. This could factor into the rulings.

    In addition to the crew members being charged, South Korean law enforcement officials are also working to bring the owners of the ferry to justice.

    Billionaire Yoo Byung-un, the head of the family which owned the Sewol, is a fugitive at present.

    A few days ago, dozens of prosecutors accompanied police officers dressed in riot gear as they stormed a church retreat. They believed the billionaire was there hiding from law enforcement.

    Unfortunately officials found that Yoo was not there. His whereabouts are currently unknown.

    Authorities are offering a a 500 million won ($490,000) reward for any information that leads to Yoo’s capture.

    The former ferry owner and businessman is wanted on charges that include negligence, tax evasion, and embezzlement.

    Yoo’s daughter was recently apprehended in Paris. Meanwhile, Yoo’s sons remain at large.

    South Korean officials believe they are hiding out somewhere in the United States.

    Even as authorities are working to bring these fugitives to justice, the effort to recover bodies from the ferry continues. 16 individuals remain unaccounted for.

    Image via YouTube

  • S. Korea Ferry Disaster: Survivor Count Lowered

    Nearly a month has passed since the tragic sinking of the Sewol ferry. As the nation of South Korea continues to mourn, it has been learned that government officials were wrong about the number of survivors.

    This has lead to the lowering of the survivor count.

    Coast guard chief Kim Suk-kyoon has said that the true number of survivors following the tragedy is 172. Prior to the statement, it had been reported that there were 174 survivors.

    The survivor count error is blamed on two different mistakes: A surviving passenger had their name listed twice and incorrect information was given by one of the other passengers.

    The lowering of the survivor count has been distressing to Koreans. A growing number of citizens are heavily criticizing the Korean government for their handling of the ferry’s sinking.

    The anger led prime minister Chung Hong-won to resign. Though his resignation has been accepted by President Park Geun-hye, Chung has been asked to stay on for the time being.

    This is the second time that government officials made erroneous claims regarding the number of persons saved from the disaster.

    Within hours of Sewol’s sinking, officials claimed that 368 persons had been successfully rescued. The high number suggested that there would be few fatalities, raising the hopes of many distressed family members.

    It has since been determined that 304 people are likely deceased as a result of the sinking. 269 bodies have been recovered thus far with 35 bodies unaccounted for. One diver was killed during the recovery process.

    The recovery mission has been very difficult as factors that include bad weather, strong currents, and debris have interfered with the process.

    Thus far all 15 crew members responsible for the ferry’s navigation have been arrested. Four persons that worked for the ship’s company and were responsible for loading cargo have also been arrested.

    It’s believed that the ferry may have been overloaded on its final journey and that the additional cargo may have contributed to the ship’s sinking.

    Image via Youtube

  • S. Korea Ferry Sewol Frequently Exceeded Cargo Limit

    As the investigation into the sinking of the Sewol continues, it becomes clear that there is more to the ship’s sinking than an inept captain and crew.

    Hundreds of people are now dead or missing because of a gross violation of maritime law that may have started with the ship’s owners.

    A major factor in the sinking of the South Korean ferry is that it was carrying far too much cargo. Startlingly, it was no accident.

    Reports indicate that the vessel was overloaded on nearly every trip it made in the thirteen months prior to sinking.

    Ship owner Chonghaejin Marine Co. Ltd. had the ship redesigned in 2013. Since then, the ship had made nearly 200 trips back and forth between the Incheon port near Seoul and Jeju Island.

    Of the 394 individual voyages to a single destination, it has been determined that the ship was overloaded on 246 separate occasions.

    Despite the 987 ton cargo limit, the Sewol at times carried cargo in excess of 2000 tons. Chonghaejin claimed that the ship could carry a total of 3,963 tons of cargo, a number to which the ship had gotten close on a dozen times.

    The ship needed 2000 tons of water to stay balanced. The imposed limit was meant to make sure the ship was always balanced and able to travel safely through the water.

    The tragic sinking of the Sewol has exposed the failure of the maritime system in South Korea to accurately and efficiently enforce safety laws.

    Chonghaejin was never required to report the ship’s readjusted cargo limits to either the South Korean coast guard or Korean Shipping Association. This loophole may have contributed to the company’s constantly allowing the ship to be overloaded.

    The lack of regulation may also have contributed to the tragic events that occurred a few weeks ago.

    Prior to the final voyage of the Sewol, Captain Lee Joon-seok recorded there were 150 cars and 657 tons of cargo. That number was incorrect; the coast guard identified 180 cars in the water.

    It’s likely that the horrible incident will force an update in policies that prevent a similar tragedy from happening in the future.

    Image via YouTube

  • South Korea Ferry Disaster: Prime Minister Resigns

    The prime minister of South Korea resigned on Sunday.

    The act comes amid a growing wave of criticism heaved at the Korean government over its handling of the Sewol incident and subsequent rescue efforts.

    Former Prime Minister Chung Hong-won said in a statement that the rising tide of “sadness and resentment of the public” played a major role in his decision to step down.

    When Chung attempted to visit a shelter housing the family members of the ferry victims, he found himself heckled by a number of bystanders. The negative reception left a lasting impression on the government official.

    “…I saw grieving families suffering with the pain of losing their loved one,” said Chung.

    He felt that he should “take all responsibility as prime minister” for his role in the government’s reportedly insufficient rescue efforts.

    Chung also blamed societal issues for the ongoing tragedy, saying that he hoped “these deep-rooted evils” would be removed from South Korean society and that this “kind of accident never happens again.”

    Because the majority of political power in South Korea resides with the president, it seems that the decision of the prime minister to resign is largely symbolic in nature. Min Kyung-woo, who is the presidential spokesman, was reported as saying President Park Geun-hye will likely accept Chung’s resignation.

    It is not known at this time when Chung will leave office.

    In the aftermath of the Sewol ferry sinking, heartbroken friends and family members of those who died or are still missing have become increasingly angered at the government’s response to the disaster.

    Thus far divers have retrieved 188 bodies from the waters surrounding the Sewol or directly from vessel. 114 persons are still missing. There are only 174 survivors at this time, and it’s unlikely any more will be recovered from the sunken ferry.

    All 15 crew members involved in the sinking of the ship have been taken into custody and formally arrested. They stand accused of negligence and failing to help passengers in need.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • South Korea Ferry Disaster: Over One Hundred Dead

    It has been nearly one week since the Sewol sank into waters off the southern coast of South Korea.

    In recent days, the death toll has risen sharply. Over a hundred bodies have been recovered thus far with many more expected to be located as search efforts continue.

    A wall of Korean policemen acted as a cordon as bodies were carefully laid inside of a tent. At this time only close family members will be made aware of who the deceased are as the identification process continues.

    It has only just begun to dawn on horrified Koreans that the rescue mission is quickly returning into a recovery mission.

    Since divers found a way into the submerged vessel over the weekend, the death toll has only continued to rise. No survivors have been located yet.

    Even as an increasing number family members are being called forward to identify the remains of loved ones, It is still hoped against hope that somehow living survivors will be found.

    Some family members have even written desperate pleas to the Korean government to provide greater aid in the recovery process.

    In the aftermath of the sinking of the Sewol ferry, Captain Lee Joon-seok has been arrested along with two of the ship’s crew members.

    Four other crew members have been detained by authorities, but no other arrests have been made at this time.

    Lee and the other arrested crew members stand accused of negligence and abandoning people in need. Despite captaining the ferry, Lee was reportedly one of the first persons to reach safety. He left behind hundreds of people who were unable to escape the ferry before it sank.

    Lee continues to maintain his innocence in the matter, saying he did everything he could prior to the disaster.

    Image via YouTube