Families of Sewol ferry victims protest in Seoul

(Baonghean.vn) - On April 18, a clash between protesters and hundreds of police officers occurred in Seoul, South Korea when relatives of the 304 victims killed in the Sewol ferry sinking were prevented by police from reaching the residence of President Park Geun Hye.

Starting Thursday, April 16, on the first day of the one-year anniversary of the Sewol ferry sinking, families of the victims sat down on the streets in central Seoul to remember the dead and express their anger and pain at the government for its indifference to the incident.

Police were forced to use tear gas and water cannons to disperse protesters on April 18. Photo: AFP

On the seventh day, clashes broke out between relatives of the victims and police as they marched toward the residence of South Korean President Park Geun Hye. Police were forced to use tear gas and water cannons to disperse the protesters.

One year after the Sewol ferry disaster, only 295 bodies out of 304 have been recovered by rescue workers. The government stopped searching for the missing in November 2014. The wreckage of the ship is still lying at a depth of 40 meters and the government has promised to salvage it “as soon as possible”. In response to the announcement, the victims’ families were outraged and organized a march to the presidential palace to protest the government’s failure and demand an independent investigation.

Chu Thanh– according to Le Monde April 18