Sewol families pleading to “Pull the truth out of the water!”

Posted on : 2015-01-27 16:59 KST Modified on : 2019-10-19 20:29 KST
Official rescue efforts were called off last November, and government now reviewing how to raise the Sewol from the ocean floor
 Gyeonggi Province
Gyeonggi Province

The bereaved families of the victims of the Sewol tragedy are marching once again, demanding that the hull of the Sewol ferry be raised from the ocean floor so that the truth of the tragedy can be revealed.

In July and August of last year, two fathers who lost their children went on a 38-day, 800-km march, calling for a full investigation of the tragedy and the legislation of the special Sewol Law. The march took them from the government memorial altar in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province to Paengmok Harbor at Jindo, South Jeolla Province, and then on to Daejeon to attend a mass presided over by Pope Francis.

Starting on Jan. 26, April 16th Sewol Families for Truth and a Safer Society (April 16th Families) will be walking the 450km from the memorial altar in Ansan to Paengmok Harbor. The march will last 20 days.

“After search operations came to an end in November of last year, we believed that the hull of the ferry would be raised. We were unable to simply watch as the ruling party and state institutions played for time and backpedaled on their promises,” the families said at a press conference held at 9:30 am on Monday, Jan. 26.

“Help us so that we too can stand tall in front of our children,” the families said, appealing to the South Korean public.

 calling on the government to raise the sunken ferry and conduct an investigation into the causes of the sinking
calling on the government to raise the sunken ferry and conduct an investigation into the causes of the sinking

At the moment, the government and experts from the private sector are conducting a technical review of the question of raising the Sewol.

“What we want is to find out why this tragedy occurred and why the government did not rescue the passengers,” said Kim Seong-seol, reading from a prepared statement. Kim is the chair of the external cooperation subcommittee for April 16th Families.

On Monday, as the march began, participants were holding banners and placards bearing messages such as “Raise the Sewol and Uncover the Truth.”

Taking part in the march are religious figures, activists, and politicians, including Catholic priest Moon Gyu-hyeon, Buddhist monk Myeongjin, and former lawmaker Jung Bong-ju.

The march will take place from Jan. 27 to Feb. 14 as a relay, with 30 people marching for 10 hours, or 25km, each day. The march will pass through Suwon, Gyeonggi Province; Daejeon; Iksan, North Jeolla Province; and Gwangju. At each point along the way, anyone who wishes can take part in the march.

On Jan. 25, the Committee of Families of Victims, Missing, and Survivors from the Sewol Tragedy held a general meeting to set up April 16th Families as a legal corporation. Their website can be viewed at 416family.org.

Along with the families of students and teachers at Danwon High School who died in the tragedy, April 16th Families includes the families of other victims of the tragedy and individuals whose trucks were on the ferry when it sank. The families has around 300 members altogether.

 Jan. 26. (by Kim Seong-gwang
Jan. 26. (by Kim Seong-gwang

By Kim Ki-sung, south Gyeonggi correspondent and Kim Kyu-nam, staff reporter

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]

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