SEWOL

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South Korea mourned the 10th anniversary of sinking

South Korea mourned the 10th anniversary of sinking of thge 'Sewol' on April 16, 2024, the country's worst-ever maritime disaster, when 304 people died. The disaster and botched rescue efforts dealt a crushing blow to then-president Park Geun-hye, who was eventually impeached in 2017, and the tragedy remains divisive and politically sensitive in South Korea still. A Coast Guard vessel took some of the victims' families to the site of the sinking early on April 16 for a special ceremony. The site marked by a yellow buoy. Te families called out the names of the deceased and threw flowers into the water, followed by a moment of silence. Yellow ribbon dedications are displayed on the main gates at a port in Mokpo, South Jeolla Province, near to where the salvaged ferry stands President Yoon Suk Yeol, whose party was dealt a crushing defeat in parliamentary elections last week, offered his condolences to the families of victims at a cabinet meeting: "Even though 10 years have passed, the events of Apr 16, 2014, remain vivid in my memory. I pray for the repose of the unfortunate victims and once again extend my deepest condolences to the bereaved families." Report with photos: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/south-korea-mourns-10th-anniversary-jeju-sewol-ferry-disaster-4268371

Supreme court cleared nine members of Coast Guard of negligence

The Supreme Court on Nov 2, 2023, cleared nine members of the South Korean Coast Guard leadership of negligence in the rescue of the people aboard the 'Sewol'. The officials, including Kim Suk-kyoon, the former head of the organization, were sent to court in 2020 for failing to take appropriate action at the start of the accident. During the trial, the prosecution claimed that they should have encouraged the passengers to get out of the ship, but they failed in their duty. As for the accused, they offered their apologies and regrets, but declared that their behaviour did not constitute a crime. The country's highest court confirmed that the first judgments did not contain any errors in the interpretation of the laws. The court of first instance pronounced an acquittal. According to it, the Coastguard could not have prevented the tragedy and were not informed that the captain and crew members had left the ferry first. In February 2022, in the second instance, they were again found not guilty, for lack of proof of their professional misconduct. Kim Mun-hong, former leader of the Mokpo Coastguard, charged with instigating the creation of false official documents concerning an evacuation order, was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Last fugitive linked to Sewol disaster extradited to South Korea

Yoo Hyuk-kee, 50, a South Korean businessman wanted for nine years by authorities was extradited from the United States on Aug 4, 2023, to face charges linked to the sinking of the 'Sewol'. He was taken into custody on arrival from New York, where he had been fighting extradition to South Korea, where he faces embezzlement charges related to the company that operated the doomed vessel. Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected his bid to block the extradition. Yoo Hyuk-kee, also known as Keith Yoo, has denied the charges. The ferry was found by government investigators to be structurally unsound and overloaded when it capsized in April 2014, killing 304 people including 250 children who were on a school trip. The ship was owned and operated by Chonghaejin Marine, which was one of the companies held by I-One-I, an investment vehicle controlled by Yoo Byung-un, Keith Yoo's father, who was found dead two months after the ferry accident after eluding authorities. South Korean prosecutors have alleged Keith Yoo had defrauded various companies controlled by I-One-I. The prosecutors have said the family's diversion of money contributed to the Sewol operator's financial deterioration, which led to the neglect of ship management and staff safety training and eventually the accident. The businessman was led away by authorities from the Incheon International Airport. Yoo's lawyer, Shawn Naunton, said in November after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected his bid to block extradition that the charges against him by South Korean authorities were "motivated by animus toward Keith and his family." South Korea's Justice Ministry said in a statement Yoo's return marked the end of the efforts to bring those who were fugitives overseas related to the disaster back to the country. Yoo's sister was extradited from France in 2017 and served out a jail sentence. Two other people who had fled abroad and were brought back were executives at companies held by the family. Another son of Yoo Byung-un has also served time in prison over the accident.