EVENTS MARKING SEWOL SINKING ANNIVERSARY

[Anchor Lead]

Events to commemorate the Sewol ferry tragedy took place all over the nation. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number and scale of the events were reduced, but there were more attempts to comfort the bereaved families and bring them together this year.

[Pkg]

​Six years have passed. Still today, families and citizens gathered to remember the victims of the Sewol ferry tragedy.

[Soundbite] JANG HOON(4.16 SEWOL FAMILIES FOR TRUTH AND A SAFER SOCIETY) : "I want to hug them and tell them that I love them. I miss them so much."

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the memorial service attendance was merely a fifth of last year's. People attending the ceremony had their temperatures checked and were seated two meters apart. Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun sent a video eulogy and Education Minister Yoo Eun-hye emphasized the nation's responsibility and solidarity.

[Soundbite] YOO EUN-HYE(EDUCATION MINISTER) : "The principle of the government protecting and being responsible for the lives of the people has taken root in our society."

People stand in long lines. They are holding small signs including some that read, "We will remember til the end," "We will make a safer society". Because of the outbreak, the events were held with social-distancing in place or substituted with online ones. Singer Huckleberry P delivered a comforting message to the bereaved families with his song through social media.

[Soundbite] "I hope the backpack you're going to carry from now on would be lighter than before."

His fans send yellow ribbons to show their support and solidarity.

[Soundbite] PARK SANG-HYUK (RAPPER HUCKLEBERRY P) : "I think we should commemorate them in any way we can."

[Soundbite] "Darkness cannot overcome the light."

A steady stream of videos created by ordinary citizens is posted on YouTube to show they can pay tribute to the victims of the Sewol ferry tragedy while practicing social distancing. More than 30,000 people visited the online memorial hall to pay their condolences.