Sewol disaster survivors to speak at anti-Park protest

By Chung Hyun-chae

Former students at Danwon High School, who survived the sinking of the ferry Sewol, will have their voices heard at a candlelit protest against President Park Geun-hye, Saturday.

The rally organizers said Thursday that this year’s first and the 11th rally altogether will commemorate the incident.

It is the first time for the surviving students to make a public appearance to tell their stories since the sinking took place on April 16, 2014, while some have appeared in individual media interviews.

“We will call for a thorough investigation of the Sewol disaster and mete out due punishment to those responsible,” the organizers said at a press conference at the Seoul office of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU).

Marking the 1,000th day since the disaster, which falls on Jan. 9, the organizers will jointly host the rally with the relatives at 5:30 p.m. at Gwanghwamun Square. The surviving students and relatives of those who died will take the stage to criticize the government’s inept response to the sinking.

“I hope people will continue to light candles to call for President Park’s permanent removal, which I believe will be the beginning to finding the truth behind the Sewol ferry disaster,” a bereaved family member said during the press conference.

The protesters will march to Cheong Wa Dae, the prime minister’s residence and the Constitutional Court, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn and the court’s prompt ruling on the impeachment.

Meanwhile, a conservative civic group of people supporting Park, called “Park Sa Mo,” which literally means people who love Park, plans to stage a rally in southern Seoul on the same day calling for the court to drop the impeachment.

On its official website, the group posted instructions for its members, Tuesday, telling them to dine out at restaurants in the Gangnam area, where young people gather after the rally, to sneak in among them.

“Talk together about false media reports and praise Park Sa Mo’s rally at the dinner tables to be heard by young people sitting next to you,” the members were instructed. “Make sure not to directly talk to them because many young people dislike that; just let them hear you.”

Postings such as this have drawn cold responses from young people.

“I run a restaurant in Gangnam and I will make my restaurant a ‘No Park Sa Mo zone’ on Saturday,” a blogger wrote.