South Koreans are marking the anniversary of last year's tragic ferry accident, with grief for the 304 people who died and anger over the government's perceived weak response to the tragedy. Flags at government buildings were lowered to half-staff, a minute of silence was observed, and thousands were expected to attend vigils across the country to remember those who died in the Sewol ferry accident. The vessel, which was carrying mostly high school students on a field trip, sank in the waters off the southwest coast of South Korea last April. The boat remains in the location - a reminder of one of the country's worst maritime disasters. Many family members of those who died have demanded the government pull up the 6,825-ton ferry from the sea floor to help locate the nine missing passengers and determine the exact cause of the accident. The government, which has acknowledged that corruption and lax safety standards contributed to the tragedy, has been reluctant to raise the ship, saying such an operation would take months and cost up to $182 million. South Korean President Park Geun-hye on Thursday visited a location near the crash site, where a memorial has been set up. However, many victims' family members refused to meet with the president unless she agrees to more fully investigate the crash.
from Voice of America http://ift.tt/1b58wb2
from Voice of America http://ift.tt/1b58wb2
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