The operator of the ill-fated ferry Sewol registered the largest number of accidents among the country's passenger ship companies over the past five years, government data showed Wednesday.
Despite the poor record, Chonghaejin Marine Co. was spared punitive measures, and rather was cited as one of the best ferry operators in the country last year.
Chonghaejin owns the 6,825-ton ferry that sank off the southwestern coast last month, leaving 302 people dead or missing at the last count Wednesday.
According to the data compiled by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, four passenger boats run by Chonghaejin were involved in a total of six accidents between 2009 and 2013, or about 10 percent of the 59 accidents reported during the period.
The data was made public by Rep. Kim Choon-jin of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy.
Chonghaejin officials as well as its owner family have been under investigation over the deadly sinking of the ferry Sewol. Of the 476 people on board, 269 have been confirmed dead, with 33 remaining unaccounted for.
Three weeks before the Sewol's sinking, one of its boats, the Democracy No. 5, collided with a fishing boat in waters off the western port city of Incheon. No casualties were reported among the 141 passengers on board. Investigators said the operator had gone ahead with the voyage despite thick fog. (Yonhap)