Will the captain who caused the "Sewol Ferry Sinking" be sentenced to death?

(Baonghean.vn) - On Monday, October 27, the trial of those involved in the Sewol ferry sinking continued. The prosecution requested the court to sentence the captain to death for causing the April ferry sinking in South Korea that killed more than 300 students.

Captain Lee Joon Suk appears in Gwangju court on June 24, 2014. Photo: AFP

The prosecution said the death penalty was appropriate for the 69-year-old defendant. The prosecution argued that the defendant bore “the most serious and serious responsibility for leaving the ferry without making any effort to rescue the passengers on board.” The prosecution also said, “During the investigation, Mr. Lee Joo Suk tried to justify his actions and lied. Defendant Lee Joo Suk did not show any remorse for his actions.”

Regarding the responsibility of the other three key crew members of the ferry, the prosecutor said that these people should be sentenced to life in prison. The other 11 crew members could face sentences ranging from 15 to 30 years in prison. At the trial, Captain Lee felt he “deserved” the death sentence because he abandoned the lives of passengers to save his own. Lee Joon Suk stated, “I sincerely ask for forgiveness from the victims and their families and I will pray for them until my life ends… I think I deserve the death sentence but I never intended to sacrifice the lives of passengers to save my own life.”

Investigations have found the cause of the ferry sinking. It was due to the ferry being illegally modified, overloaded, and crew error. It is known that when the ferry capsized, it was carrying 6,845 tons of cargo.

The anger of the victims’ families has focused mainly on the captain and crew members for their reaction when the ferry capsized. They were the first to board the rescue boats, leaving the hundreds of passengers still trapped in the boat to fend for themselves. When the ferry sank, instead of being told to move, passengers were told to stay put. It was too late when the water started pouring in and the tragedy occurred.

In early November, the court will have to deliver its verdict on the Sewol ferry disaster. Of the 476 people on board that day, 325 were students from Dawon High School, and only 75 survived. The incident has caused a wave of outrage in South Korea. Many people wonder whether the defendants will receive adequate punishment for their crimes and whether the death penalty will be applied when no one has been sentenced to death in this country since 1997.

Chu Thanh

According to Liberation October 27