Ferry Sinking in South Korea
By Matt Willis
On April 27th, 2014, South Korea made national headlines when their Prime Minister, Jung Hong-won, resigned from office. Their president is apologizing for the same event, one that she has accepted some responsibility for. The incident in question is the sinking of a ferry off the southwestern tip of the Korean Peninsula, which had been carrying over four hundred people.
This occurred on April 16th, when the motor vessel Sewol capsized while on its way to Jeju, an island city located immediately south of mainland Korea. Most of the ferry’s passengers were students at a high school in Ansan, near the capital city of Seoul. Of the 476 passengers aboard the Sewol, 210 of them have been confirmed dead as of April 29th. Roughly ninety more are still missing.
Recently, South Korean citizens and family members of the passengers have been distraught over a slow reaction by the South Korean government, thus leading to an eventual resignation by Prime Minister Hong-won, to take effect after rescue operations turn up more conclusive results. Nonetheless, personnel from the South Korean Navy had begun search and rescue operations mere hours after the sinking. United States President Barack Obama was quick to react to the incident, and sent units from the Navy to assist in rescue operations. The Japanese government offered a similar role of assistance.
Several investigations have begun in response to the disaster. Three people in South Korea were arrested under suspicion of tampering with evidence from the sinking, and the captain of the Sewol has been berated for failing to ensure all passengers’ safety before leaving the ship, thus breaking common maritime principles. While authorities have also investigated the office that responded to emergency calls from the ferry, it has also come to their attention that the vice principal of the high school from which many of the passengers came committed suicide soon after being rescued. At this time, the South Korean public still awaits further information on missing victims.