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Park visits shipwreck site, meets families of victims

May 5, 2014
President Park Geun-hye visited a southern port Paengmok of Jindo Island Sunday, where the ferry victims have been camping out , awaiting news of the fate of their loved ones. / Yonhap

President Park Geun-hye visited a southern port Paengmok of Jindo Island Sunday, where the ferry victims have been camping out , awaiting news of the fate of their loved ones. / Yonhap

(YONHAP) President Park Geun-hye visited a southern port Sunday where families of the victims in last month’s ferry accident have been camping out, amid search operations to find the bodies of those still missing from the ship sinking.

In a meeting with dozens of relatives of the ferry victims at Paengmok Port, Park said, “I feel indefinitely responsible for the accident itself as well as dealing with the aftermath.”

Park then pledged “utmost efforts in the rescue operations to the last minute” while also promising to punish those found to be responsible for the tragic accident.

The 6,825-ton ferry Sewol capsized and sank off the southwestern island of Jindo on April 16, en route to the southern resort island of Jeju. Of the 476 people aboard the ill-fated vessel, 174 were rescued shortly after the ship began to list, but no one has been found alive since it sank.

A total of 244 people have been confirmed dead as of Sunday as military and civilian divers continued their search for the 19th day to try to bring out bodies of the missing. Around 60 people still remained missing.

Families of the ferry victims have been camping out at Paengmok Port of Jindo Island, awaiting news of the fate of their loved ones.

It was Park’s second trip to the shipwreck site after her first visit the day after the accident.

It also came amid growing criticism over the government’s botched rescue attempt, as well as the lack of transparency in the ongoing rescue operations.

Park also pledged to overhaul the country’s safety system during the visit.