SEWOL

scrapped

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Man who claimed to by Sewol survivor arrested for possessing a weapon off government building

The Yongsan Police arrested a man in his 60s who claimed to be a survivor of the 'Sewol' shipwreck on Sep 1, 2025, for possessing a weapon in front of a government building after requesting a meeting with the presidential office. The Yongsan Police Precinct announced on Sep 2 that it had arrested and questioned the man on charges of possession of a weapon in a public space. The police apprehended him in front of the main gate of the Ministry of National Defense in the Yongsan District, central Seoul. The man confronted police who attempted to subdue him for approximately 20 minutes, and demanded that he be able to meet with the presidential office to ask for improved treatment for 'Sewol' survivors. A taser gun was also used during the arrest. The man received first aid for the injuries and met with presidential office personnel at the Civil Affairs Office.

Malfunctioning steering system, poor stability caused Sewol ferry disaster, new government probe found

The sinking of the 'Sewol' was caused by internal structural failures, including a malfunctioning steering system and poor stability, according to recently revealed findings from government investigations ahead of the 11th anniversary of the tragedy. The Mokpo branch of the Korea Maritime Safety Tribunal said on April 14, 2025, that a special panel issued its conclusion on the tragedy in November last year — 10 years and 7 months after the ferry sank on April 16, 2014. While court rulings apply to general legal cases, maritime accidents in Korea are subject to the tribunal’s decisions. The tribunal’s judgment document functions similarly to a court verdict. The panel fully ruled out the theory that external factors, such as a collision, caused the ferry to sink, according to the tribunal’s findings: “Based on findings following the vessel's salvage and inspection, we did not confirm any evidence of external forces that could have caused an abrupt turn, such as hull damage. As there was no credible evidence of external impact, we did not consider that theory in our determination.” Instead, the panel found that the abrupt turn made by the ferry was not due to human error by the helmsman but rather a mechanical failure in the ship's steering system. The panel also took the arguments from a 2018 investigation that claimed the solenoid valve in Pump No. 2 of the steering gear was stuck and led the steering system to malfunction. At the time of the accident, the ship’s stability was already severely compromised. This was due to extensive structural modifications made to increase the passenger capacity, which raised the ship’s center of gravity. Although vessels with weakened stability must carry less cargo, the 'Sewol' was found to have been carrying nearly twice the amount allowed in its stability calculations — 2,021 tons, instead of the permitted 1,077 tons. To make matters worse, the cargo had not been properly secured. The unfastened cargo made the ferry severely tilt while making a turn. Water then flooded through the openings in the outer hull, resulting in the loss of stability, according to the panel’s conclusion. Out of the 476 people on board, 304 were killed or went missing in the disaster. The tribunal attributed the scale of the human toll to the crew's failure to take active rescue measures.

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