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Korean Ferry Disaster

Korean Ferry Disaster25 posts

The South Korean passenger ferry MV Sewol capsized while en route from Incheon to Jeju City. It carried 3608 tonnes (3977 US tons) of cargo (three times the legal limit) and reportedly had 476 people on board, mostly students from Danwon High School in Ansan City, although the actual number of passengers is uncertain. Hundreds died in the sinking, which has been blamed primarily on a sudden turn which shifted the cargo and made the ship unmanageable. The disaster also has led to widespread criticism of the captain and most of the crew, as well as of the company that owns the ferry, regulatory agencies that certified the ship as safe, and the government for its slow response.

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9 Jul, 2014

Ferry was operating illegally

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The MV Sewol was operating illegally when it capsized in April, 2014, killing 300 people.  A report by state officials says the operating license was obtained by presenting fraudulent safety papers, although exactly how officials were deceived is not being disclosed.  The owners and crew of the Sewol are facing charges for negligent actions  that facilitated the sinking of the ferry and failed to prevent the death of most of those on the ferry. Lee Joon-seok, the captain of the Sewol, has been charged with murder for fleeing the sinking vessel.

26 Jun, 2014

Prime Minister stays

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South Korea’s president has decided to retain the country’s current prime minister, Chung Hong.  Hong had offered to step down as Prime Minister, the number two spot in the country’s government, in an attempt to quell the anger of the country’s citizens after the ferry disaster.  An attempt to replace Hong was made by President Park Geun-hye, but the two possible candidates withdrew their names.  The main liberal opposition party is criticizing President Park’s decision and calling it an acknowledgement of the government’s incompetence.