Politicians give gifts from Jindo Island
Both the ruling Saenuri Party and main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD) are sourcing their gifts for this month’s Chuseok holiday from Jindo Island, South Jeolla Province, near which the Sewol ferry sank in April.In Korea, political parties often hand out gifts to politicians and officials. By sourcing them from Jindo, the lawmakers called attention to the island’s economy, which has struggled since the tragic incident.Saenuri chairman Kim Moo-sung, for example, sent Jindo abalones to other parliamentarians. The NPAD chose specialties from Jindo as well as Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, home to the high school students aboard the Sewol.Lee Ju-yeong, minister of oceans and fisheries, reportedly sent text messages to lawmakers to think of Jindo when choosing their gifts. Search-and-rescue operations prevented fisherman from working off the island, disrupting the economy.The Sewol capsized near Jindo on April 16, claimed more than 300 lives, most of them students on a field trip to Jeju Island.
Aug 31, 2014