Page 4 n THE ASIAN REPORTER
ASIA / PACIFIC
April 3, 2017
South Korean ferry that sank in 2014 lifted from sea
EMOTIONAL MOMENT. Relatives of the miss-
ing victims watch the sunken ferry Sewol sitting on a
semi-submersible transport vessel while attending re-
ligious services on a boat, in waters off Jindo, South
Korea. Nearly three years after it capsized and sank
into the violent seas off South Korea’s southwestern
coast, workers slowly pulled up the 6,800-ton ferry
from the water in an emotional moment for a country
that continues to search for closure to one of its dead-
liest disasters ever. (Photo/South Korean Ministry of
Oceans and Fisheries via AP)
By Kim Tong-Hyung
The Associated Press
S
EOUL, South Korea — Nearly
three years after it capsized and
sank into the violent seas off South
Korea’s southwestern coast, workers
slowly pulled up the 6,800-ton ferry Sewol
from the water in an emotional moment for
a country that continues to search for
closure to one of its deadliest disasters
ever.
More than 300 people — most of whom
were students on a high school trip — died
when the Sewol sank on April 16, 2014,
touching off an outpouring of national grief
and soul searching about long-ignored
public safety and regulatory failures. The
public outrage over what was seen as a
botched rescue job by the government
contributed to the recent ouster of Park
Geun-hye as president.
After hours of tests and preparations,
workers on two barges began the salvaging
operation, rolling up 66 cables connected
to a frame of metal beams divers spent
months putting beneath the ferry, which
had been lying on its left side in about 130
feet of water.
Within half a day, the right side of the
Sewol rose above the surface, allowing
workers to climb on it and further fasten
the ferry to the barges, according to the
Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.
Shanghai Salvage Co. loaded the ferry
onto a semi-submersible, heavy-lift vessel
to carry it to a mainland port. The loading
process, including emptying the ferry of
water and fuel, took days.
The bodies of 295 passengers were
recovered after the sinking on April 16,
2014, but nine are still missing. Relatives,
some of whom were watching from a
fishing boat just outside the operation
area, hope those remains are found inside
the ferry.
Once the ferry reaches a port nearly 55
miles away in the city of Mokpo, workers
will begin clearing the mud and debris and
search for the remains of the missing
victims. An investigation committee will
also be formed to search for clues that
could further explain the cause of the
sinking, which has been blamed on
overloaded cargo, improper storage, and
other negligence.
The ferry’s captain survived and is
serving a life sentence after a court found
him guilty of committing homicide
through “willful negligence” because he
fled the ship without issuing an evacuation
order.
Park was forced to defend herself
against accusations that she was out of
contact for several hours on the day of the
sinking. The allegations were included in
an impeachment bill lawmakers passed
gation over suspicion that she conspired
with a confidante to extort money and fa-
vors from companies and allow the friend
to secretly interfere with state affairs.
South Korea in 2015 agreed to an 85.1
billion won ($76 million) deal with a
consortium led by China’s state-run
Shanghai Salvage Co. to raise the Sewol.
The government initially planned to
salvage the ferry by the end of last year,
but the process was delayed due to strong
currents and unfavorable weather
conditions.
against Park in December, amid broader
corruption suspicions.
Park was formally removed from office
by the Constitutional Court earlier in
March. She is now under criminal investi-
q
Steady fall in suicides offers glimmer of hope in Japan
By Ken Moritsugu
and Mari Yamaguchi
The Associated Press
T
OKYO — Fewer Japanese are
taking their own lives, a positive
sign in a country with one of the
world’s highest suicide rates.
The Health Ministry said 21,897 people
committed suicide in 2016, down from
more than 30,000 in 2011 and the lowest
number since 1994. Of those, 15,121 were
male and 6,776 were female. It was the
seventh straight year that the number of
suicides had declined.
Experts say it’s difficult to pinpoint a
reason for the decline, attributing it to a
combination of factors. The government
has made a determined effort to tackle the
issue, starting with national legislation in
2006. Consumer loan laws have been
revised to try to keep people from taking on
too much debt, while awareness cam-
paigns have helped bring the issue into the
public eye.
“Now we can talk about suicides,” said
Yasuyuki Shimuzu, founder of Lifelink, a
nonprofit that lobbies for suicide-preven-
tion measures. “I believe the change in
environment has made it easier for the
needy to seek help.”
Before the good news, however, came
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