Seoul City Councilor Kim Yong-seok Secures 300 Million Won Budget for Sewol Ferry Disaster Victims Memorial Project

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Seoul Metropolitan Council member Kim Yong-seok (Democratic Party, Dobong 1) announced that he secured a budget of 300 million KRW for the Sewol Ferry disaster victim memorial project during the 2021 Seoul city budget review process.

As a member of the Budget and Accounts Special Committee, Councilor Kim Yong-seok increased the budget for the Sewol Ferry disaster victim memorial event from the original 150 million KRW in the 2021 budget proposal to 300 million KRW by adding 100 million KRW for memorial events and 50 million KRW for a permanent exhibition space.

Since enacting the first-ever Sewol Ferry Disaster Memorial Ordinance nationwide in 2017, Councilor Kim Yong-seok has annually supported the budget for memorial events for the Sewol Ferry disaster victims and the establishment of the Sewol Ferry disaster memorial exhibition hall at Gwanghwamun Square starting from 2018.

The 6th anniversary of the April 16 Sewol Ferry disaster was held last October through a non-face-to-face online format, linking the Sewol Ferry disaster with the COVID-19 crisis, and proceeded with an online flash mob, talk concert, and memorial performances under the theme of sharing and spreading the "social value of safety."

On the 9th, the "Special Act on the Truth Investigation of Social Disasters" for uncovering the truth of the Sewol Ferry disaster passed the National Assembly plenary session. The activity period of the Social Disaster Special Investigation Committee, which was scheduled to end, has been extended by 1 year and 6 months until June 2022.

With less than five months remaining, the 7th anniversary of the April 16 Sewol Ferry disaster will be a turning point determining the success of thorough truth investigation and punishment of those responsible, and it signifies the last opportunity for the Moon Jae-in administration to fulfill its obligation and keep its promise to uncover the truth.

Councilor Kim Yong-seok emphasized, “Seoul city will continue to actively and persistently promote the truth investigation and memorial support for the Sewol Ferry disaster,” and stressed, “The truth must be uncovered and those responsible punished through the ‘Special Act on the Truth Investigation of Social Disasters,’ which was created with the tears of the Sewol Ferry disaster bereaved families and citizens.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.