Korean Ferry Resurfacing

South Korean efforts have recently been working towards raising the Sewol ferry that capsized three years ago due to being overloaded. This national crisis claimed the lives of over 300 people, most of whom were children. Since the resurfacing of the ferry, nine Korean families traveled to Jindo to watch the ferry be raised with the hope of finding the lost bodies, so they can receive a proper burial.

Three years ago, South Korean families stood in the capital, Seoul, to receive news regarding any survivors of the Sewol ferry incident and to mourn for the loss of their loved ones. Seeing the ferry resurface made families feel a sense of closure, but this no doubt brought emotions of regret and depression. Lee Geum-hee, the mother of one of the lost children stated, “it was heart-wrenching” to see how “all this time my daughter was in such a cold and dark place.” But in fact the school children did not have to be stuck with such uncomfortable circumstances if the Korean government had raised the ferry earlier, or if the coast guard had been more active and vigilant during the incident.

The Korean coast guard arrived twenty minutes after they received a distress signal from the ship, and arrived in time to see it capsizing. Seeing that an evacuation had already been inaugurated aboard the ship, officials did not see fit to help. This decision led to deaths of numerous passengers, which could have been prevented if the coast guard had been more involved in the evacuation.

It took a great deal of time and effort from the people to convince the government to raise the ferry. Money was an important factor to consider since the cost to raise the ferry was incredibly high, but any government should always put their people before their profits. It took much negotiating and rallies to convince the government to raise the ferry, and in the midst of this chaos, the bodies which they hoped to find may have already been lost or degraded. If a government wishes to successfully collaborate with the people, it must continue to keep the spirits of the people high.

South Korea has been through much strife in the past years, but the government should not be reluctant towards helping its citizens overcome the grief of such incidents. During a crisis, improper communication and action from both the government and people will only further deepen the severity of such problems.

For more information please refer to the following web link: