"Reinvestigate the Sewol Ferry Disaster"... Bereaved Families File Appeal to the Prosecutors

The Sewol ferry disaster will mark its 7th anniversary on the 16th. From 4:16 PM to 4:17 PM on the 16th, sirens will sound across Danwon-gu, Ansan-si, Gyeonggi-do, and memorial events remembering the pain and lessons of the disaster will take place nationwide. The photo shows the Sewol ferry at Mokpo New Port in Mokpo-si, Jeollanam-do, taken on the 14th. (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Tae-min] The families of the Sewol ferry victims have filed a second appeal, refusing to accept the investigation results from the Special Investigation Team (Special Team) of the prosecution regarding the Sewol ferry disaster.

The 4·16 Sewol Ferry Disaster Families Association, 4·16 Solidarity, and the Lawyers for a Democratic Society submitted a second appeal on the 15th, opposing the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office's dismissal of the appeal related to the Sewol ferry-related complaint cases. In the case of the accusation cases, they filed a request for reconsideration with the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office.

A representative from the Lawyers for a Democratic Society stated, "Some documents were incomplete, so we plan to supplement and resubmit them tomorrow."

Earlier, the Special Team concluded its activities on January 19 and dismissed the complaints and accusations related to allegations that the former Defense Security Command and the National Intelligence Service surveilled the Sewol ferry victims' families, and that the Blue House and Ministry of Justice exerted undue pressure on the prosecution's investigation of the Sewol ferry case.

In response, the Sewol organizations and the Lawyers for a Democratic Society submitted an appeal to the prosecution in February, calling the dismissal "an unjust disposition that granted impunity to those responsible through passive investigation and improper legal interpretation."

After reviewing this, the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office also dismissed the appeal on the 31st of last month, stating that no new evidence was found to overturn the Special Team's dismissal.

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