Understanding the Sewol Ferry Disaster Investigation: Key Findings and Acquittals

[앵커]

Investigations and trials to determine responsibility for the Sewol ferry disaster continued, but most were acquitted or given suspended sentences.

Reporter Jo Hae-eon explained the detailed reason.

[기자]

The first to be arrested in the immediate aftermath of the Sewol ferry disaster were Captain Lee Jun-seok and his crew, who abandoned their passengers and ran away.

[이준석/세월호 선장 (2014년 4월 19일) : 잠시 침실에 볼일 있어서 잠시 갔다 오는 사이에 그렇게 된 것입니다.]

An immediate investigation into the Coast Guard rescue failure should have been launched, but only President Yoo Byung-eun was prosecuted.

This is in front of Geumsuwon in Ansan, Gyeonggi-do, which was designated as President Yoo’s retreat.

The detective agency, which was intent on tracking down the man, forcibly searched Geumsuwon, where believers of the Salvation Sect had gathered at that time.

The believers of the Salvation Sect sat on the ground and blocked the road.

Police and prosecutors mobilized nearly 6,000 people and forcibly entered the area.

The result, however, was empty-handed.

President Yoo’s body was found later, and the police searched for him for a while without even knowing that he was dead.

Meanwhile, the Coast Guard’s investigation was rebuffed.

There have been calls to clarify not only the bailout failure but also the suspicions surrounding former President Park Geun-hye’s seven-hour affair.

[박근혜/전 대통령 (2014년 4월 19일) : 다 그렇게 구명조끼를 학생들은 입었다고 하는데 그렇게 발견하기가 힘듭니까? 지금요?]

After many twists and turns, a special investigation committee was formed, and as a result, five years after the disaster, a special investigation team was launched.

Only then were coast guard commanders at the time, including coast guard chief Kim Seok-gyun, put on trial, but they were all found not guilty.

[이정일/민변 세월호 TF 변호사 : 5년 지난 다음 2019년도에 이제 (해경 지휘부)수사를 하다 보니까 많은 자료들이 확보하지 못한 자료도 일부 있을 수 있을 것 같고 수사에 있어서도 골든타임이 굉장히 중요하다…]

The results of the second trial on suspicions that Park Geun-hye’s administration’s Blue House interfered with the activities of the Sewol Ferry Special Investigation Committee will not be made public until next week.

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