The "Sewol Ferry Special Task Force" Ends 1 Year and 2 Months of Activity... Investigation Results to Be Announced on the 19th

Im Gwan-hyeok, head of the special investigation team for the Sewol ferry disaster and chief prosecutor of the Ansan branch of the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office, is expressing his determination and stance at the inauguration on the 11th in the small conference room of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] The Special Investigation Unit for the Sewol Ferry Disaster under the prosecution (Head: Im Gwanhyeok, Seoul High Prosecutors' Office) will conclude its 1 year and 2 months of activities and announce the investigation results on the 19th.

According to the legal community on the 18th, the Special Unit is scheduled to announce the disposition results of cases related to the Sewol Ferry at the briefing room of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office on the afternoon of the 19th. The Special Unit, which was launched in November 2019, 5 years and 7 months after the Sewol Ferry disaster occurred, is highly likely to be disbanded after announcing the investigation results.

The Special Unit indicted 11 members of the Coast Guard command, including former Coast Guard Commissioner Kim Seokgyun (56) and former West Sea Coast Guard Commissioner Kim Suhyun (64), without detention in February last year regarding suspicions of inadequate response by the Coast Guard at the time of the disaster. In the trial held on the 11th, the prosecution requested a 5-year prison sentence for former Commissioner Kim Seokgyun.

Regarding allegations that the Blue House and government ministries obstructed the activities of the Sewol Ferry Disaster Special Investigation Commission during the Park Geunhye administration, 9 people including former Blue House Chief of Staff Lee Byunggi (74), former Policy Coordination Chief Hyun Jeongtaek (72), and former Political Affairs Chief Hyun Gihan (62) were indicted without detention in May last year on charges of abuse of authority and obstruction of rights.

Additionally, the Special Unit sought to uncover the truth behind allegations that the Ministry of Justice exerted external pressure on the investigation team at the time of the disaster, and in June last year, conducted searches and seizures at the Ministry of Justice's Prosecutor's Office and the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Criminal Affairs Department, securing reports and related materials.

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