Conditions Improve

[Anchor Lead]

Conditions at the site of the Sewol sinking have substantially improved. Search and rescue operations continue as currents in the location are slowing down to their lowest level this month.

[Pkg]

The winds and waves around the accident site have calmed down. The waves are much lower today than yesterday, and expected to remain under 0.5 meters high until tomorrow.

[Soundbite] LEE GYEONG-HUI (Korea Meteorological Administration Official): "The winds will die down for a while, because the area is expected to be under the influence of the migratory high pressure system above the Yellow Sea."

The water flow has also slowed down substantially. The difference between the ebb and flow of the tides is at the smallest point this month, so the currents have slowed down significantly. The flow speed at its strongest point registered 2.8 meters per second, but it will slow to 1.6 meters per second for today and tomorrow. Weaker flows would allow rescuers to dive for longer periods of time. The flow speed of Maenggol Straits would reach the slowest level tomorrow and gradually pick up speed again from Friday. The winds would grow stronger, starting this Saturday, and rain is forecasted for the area between Saturday afternoon and Sunday. The search and rescue authorities should spur on their efforts today and tomorrow when the weather and current conditions are at their best.

2. Compensating Families

[Anchor Lead]

Compensation for victims and their families is expected to be very high. The government may pay damages first, then seek reimbursement from Chonghaejin Marine Company, but there are concerns that the company may not have the funds.

[Pkg]

Former Semo Group Chairman Yoo Byeong-eon's family owns at least 13 businesses in Korea. In addition to Chonghaejin Marine, there are Semo, which produces a popular squalene health supplement and a mid-sized shipbuilding company called Chonhaeji, among others. The total sales of these companies amounted to roughly 356 million dollars last year. The Seoul Regional Tax Office has launched special audits into four of these businesses. The tax probes are to find their hidden assets.

[Soundbite] Yoo‘s Associate (Voice Modified) : "Many title registrations were made under the names of believers. Anything lucrative is under his children's names."

The Yoo family's overseas assets are also under investigation. The family owns multiple properties in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. KBS alone has confirmed about ten properties overseas, which amount to tens of millions of dollars. Also, assets titled to the company total roughly 100 million dollars. The Financial Supervisory Service and the Korea Customs Service have launched probes to see whether the money was sent overseas illegally to buy up these assets for the Yoo Family. The problem is that even if the hidden assets of the owner's family are discovered, the family cannot be held entirely responsible for compensating the victims of the ferry accident.

[Soundbite] LEE JI-EUN (Lawyer) : "It's hard to impose legal responsibility just because they're major shareholders. But if there's evidence proving that they were actually involved in the operation of Chonghaejin Marine, then they can be held jointly responsible with the company."

The prosecutors are focusing their efforts on determining whether the Yoo family had anything to do with the operation and management of Chonghaejin Marine. The investigators are also looking into the allegation that Chonhaeji, the largest shareholder of Chonghaejin Marine, had purchased millions of dollars' worth of Yoo Byeong-eon's photographs.

3. Christian Sect

[Anchor Lead]

Yoo Byeong-eon, the owner of the Chonghaejin Marine Company, is believed to be a key member of a Christian sect known as the Saviorists. Many of the employees of the company were also members.

[Pkg]

KBS obtained this video of Yoo Byeong-eon, actual owner of Chonghaejin Marine Company, preaching in a church.

[Soundbite] YOO BYUNG-EON (Fmr. Chairman, Semo Corporation): "That was part of God's plan."

He's the founder of the Protestant sect the Evangelical Baptist Church known as the Saviorists. A former employee of the marine company told KBS that most employees at Chonghaejin were Saviorists and followers of Yoo.

[Soundbite] Fmr. Employee, Chonghaejin Marine (Voice Modified): "Over 90% of workers were believers. Those who were not at the beginning were converted into Saviorists through education."

The source says captain of the sunken ferry Lee Joon-seok also became a devout Saviorist since he entered the company.

[Soundbite] "In case of the captain, his wife was originally a believer. He wasn't devout himself but I heard his faith grew sincere since joining the firm as he attended services and so on. "

It was an open secret in the maritime community that Chonghaejin was deeply connected to the Saviorist group.

[Soundbite] Maritime Industry Official (Voice Modified): "There were rumors that most sailors entering the firm were converted or that nonbelievers wouldn’t be hired."

The company neither admitted to nor denied the allegation.

[Soundbite] Chonghaejin Marine Official (Voice Modified): "What can I say? Who would believe me?"

Followers of the Evangelical Baptists are known to be around 200-thousand. This sect was also suspected relating to a group suicide incident in 1987 when 32 people took their lives together.

4. Reckless Turn

[Anchor Lead]

The sinking of the Sewol could have come down to a reckless change in direction and problems with the body of the ship. All of the surviving members of the crew could be up for prosecution.
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[Pkg]

Crew members who escaped the sunken ferry testify mistakes were made at the time of the accident when the ship was shifting direction.

[Soundbite] First Mate, Sewol: "It's likely that a mistake was made when the ship was changing direction. The gear may have moved in the opposite direction or the steering gear may not have been functioning properly."

Investigators increasingly believe that a reckless shift in the navigation path may have brought about the disaster. Also to note is a statement by a navigation officer who said that as the ferry underwent extended construction, this could have damaged its restorative strength.

[Soundbite] First Mate, Sewol: "(What do you think caused the sinking?) That ferry has little stability and it would have a hard time regaining its balance."

The sailors also claim when the ship was tilting, they tried to adjust the water level in the ballast tanks as ordered by the captain but that the move did not work. Based on such testimonies, investigators are expanding their probe into possible problems with the vessel itself. The probe team has summoned two officials from the Korean Register of Shipping who had previously inspected the Sewol including at the time of the construction. The team also says it's considering pressing charges on all surviving crew members who fled the ship regardless of their rank or role as they demonstrated no rescue efforts for the passengers. Investigators argue that even if the captain told the crew to leave the ferry, the order itself was wrong and that it is still possible to penalize all sailors who left the ship before the passengers.

5. Tipping Point

[Anchor Lead]

Navigation records show no reason for the Sewol to have taken such a sudden sharp turn in the area of the accident. Experts are zeroing in on this fact to find out why the accident took place.

[Pkg]

On April 11, five days before the tragedy, the Sewol arrived at Jeju Island after passing by the Maenggol Straits and Byeongpung Island. When the ferry was passing by Byeongpung Island, the angle of its bow was changed smoothly from 136 degrees to 138, 140 and 144 degrees. Then the bow angle was maintained between 140 and 145 degrees until the ferry arrived at Jeju.

[Soundbite] Sailing Expert (Voice Modified): "After passing by Byeongpung Island, the ship is supposed to go down rightward at about 140 degrees."

On April 16, the day of the disaster, the ship's bow angle was 131 degrees when it was in waters off Byeongpung Island. The ferry's angle was changed to 135 degrees and then to 139 degrees. The Sewol moved for 36 seconds with its bow angle at 139 degrees.
There was no reason for the Sewol to make a sharp turn in the area because all it had to do was to maintain its bow angle at around 145 degrees. But on the day of the accident the Sewol's bow was turned at over 150 degrees.

[Soundbite] Sailing Expert (Voice Modified): "The helmsman testified that when he was turning the angle at 140 degrees the steering gear turned faster than usual, even though he was at fault, too."

The Sewol eventually lost its balance and got out of control. The investigators are zeroing in on why the ferry made a sharp turn and sank.

6. Insufficient Preparation

[Anchor Lead]

The government has been conducting emergency drills for 10 years in its effort to make Korea a safer country, but preparations for maritime accidents were proven insufficient by recent events.

[Pkg]

In an earthquake children quickly take shelter under the table. All ministries have been taking part in the government-organized mock disaster drills for ten years now. The emergency exercises included scenarios for catastrophes such as earthquake, tsunami, fire, subway accident, and building collapse, but the plan for the sinking of a passenger ship wasn't prepared.

[Soundbite] Nat’l Emergency Management Agency Official (Voice Modified): "A Safe Korea drill is based on a disaster that occurred in the previous year, because we can't prepare for all disasters."

A nationwide disaster management system was put in place since the Disaster Management Act was legislated in 2003. But sinking accidents including large passenger ships are not included in the list of major disasters. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, in charge of all ocean-related matters, came up with a maritime accident manual in just last June for the first time. The Ministry had been abolished by President Lee Myung-bak but was reinstated when President Park Geun-hye came into office.

[Soundbite] Prof. KIM CHAN-OH (Seoul National University of Technology): "The government-managed standard manuals deal only with land disasters. There were no maritime disaster manuals, because that responsibility was placed solely on the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries."

There was a manual, but no mock training has taken place. It's not surprising that everything was in chaos once a catastrophic event occurred.

[Soundbite] Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries Official (Voice Modified): "There was a drill for a collision and an oil leak. I can't remember exactly whether we had any exercise for a passenger ship accident with fatalities."

The government has revised the Disaster Management Act 25 times. But such administrative actions have proven to be useless in actual cases, showing how unprepared and unrealistic government measures can be.

7. Poor Management

[Anchor Lead]

In light of the unorganized and inefficient management of the ferry disaster, the government has been criticized for failing to establish a well-functioning disaster management body, and a lack of experience within the organization that exists.

[Pkg]

In January 2013 the Park Geun-hye administration renamed the Ministry of Public Administration and Security to the Ministry of Security and Public Administration. It was meant to put safety above all else.

[Soundbite] YOO MIN-BONG (Head, State Affairs & Coordination Subcommittee (Jan. 15, 2013)): "The Ministry will emphasize expertise and integration as a means to realize public safety and economic revival."

The existing Disaster and Safety Management Office was expanded to Security Management Headquarters and the Public Safety Policy Bureau was newly established. The problem is that there were not enough follow-up measures to enhance these offices' expertise on safety and disaster management. Only four percent of the Ministry of Security and Public Administration's budget and 10% of the ministry employees are allocated to public safety-related jobs. More than half of the top departmental officials overseeing public safety are administrative employees with no expertise in disaster management.

[Soundbite] Min. of Security & Public Admin. Official (Voice Modified): "In maritime accidents, no one is an expert in these matters except for the Coast Guard."

The second-in-command of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, which was activated immediately after the accident, was assumed not by the head of the National Emergency Management Agency, an expert in emergency measures, but by the Vice Minister of Security and Public Administration. The law was revised last February to have the National Emergency Management Agency oversee only natural disasters, while the Ministry of Security and Public Administration take charge of disasters caused by human error.

[Soundbite] Prof. JO WON-CHEOL (Yonsei University): "They said security was top priority, but actually it was pushed way back. Even those in charge of the matter were just administrative personnel."

Although the government had said that public safety was its top priority, the ferry catastrophe demonstrated that the government is sadly incompetent in its safety management capabilities.

8. Families' Request

[Anchor Lead]

Some families of the ferry sinking victims have requested an autopsy. They want to know whether rescue could have been possible and for how long.

[Pkg]

Some family members of the sunken ferry victims will seek to confirm the cause of death through autopsy. This is to determine whether government rescue and response measures were appropriate.

[Soundbite] Family Member of Missing Passenger: "We should know if the government has done wrong."

What they want to know is that whether their loved ones died from either drowning, hypothermia or suffocation. If suffocation was the cause, this means the victims were placed in air pockets and family members will hold the government responsible for delayed rescue efforts. Then is it possible to determine the cause of death through autopsy? This can be done if the victims drowned while they were conscious. Water would have filled up their lungs and bubbles would have formed. Death from hypothermia may also appear similar to drowning as victims can still breathe in water while unconscious. But there's a difference.

[Soundbite] Prof. LEE YUN-SEONG (Seoul National University): "The victim already lost consciousness and breathing is weak. So even if they drowned at this time, the water and froth inside the body will be considerably smaller."

The issue at hand is death by suffocation. Victims could have taken in water while they were going unconscious. The case of suffocation can be difficult to tell from drowning or hypothermia. Even an autopsy may not be able to determine this. Authorities will receive applications from families asking for an autopsy and will conduct the procedure with family members present if necessary.

9. Public Statement

[Anchor Lead]

The parents of the students who were rescued from the sunken ferry disaster issued a statement to the public. Against all odds, there’s still hope among these parents that the missing could be saved.

[Pkg]

The parents of the students who survived the ferry disaster have made a stand. Their joy of having their kids back was short-lived when they thought of the other children remaining in the ice cold sea. They called on the government and civic sector to use all available assets for the swift rescue of those still missing.

[Soundbite] JANG DONG-WON (Survivor’s Father): "We ask that you consider the pain that the parents of the missing children are feeling right now. They just want to dive into the water to rescue their trapped children."

The parents also asked the media to stop their competitive and insensitive reporting and to refrain from disregarding the pain felt by the victims and survivors alike.

[Soundbite] "Stop competitive reporting of those who survived. Children say they're afraid to look at a window out of fear that water will rush in."

The father reading the statement eventually sheds a tear. Other fathers and mothers watching also tear up.

[Soundbite] "Those who survived feel guilty. We ask for discretion from the government and all society."

They earnestly wish for a miracle, believing that whether those aboard the ship survived or not, all of the children should be protected and cared for.

10. Exhibition in Shanghai

[Anchor Lead]

Singer Kim Jang-hoon is well-known for his enthusiasm for Korea’s sovereignty over the Dokdo Islets. The singer has opened an exhibition in Shanghai. Let’s take a look.

[Pkg]

A performance is held in front of a replica of the Dokdo Islets. This art show was organized by singer Kim Jang-hoon in Shanghai. Kim is known for his activities to protect Korea's sovereignty over Dokdo. The exhibition features photos and video materials about Dokdo and former "comfort women" of the Japanese army. It has a special meaning because it has strengthened collaboration between Korea and China in denouncing Japan's historical distortions. Through this cultural exchange, the two nations shared their historical wounds and bolstered international cooperation. It was a small-scale event but it sent a strong message.

[Soundbite] KIM JANG-HOON (Singer): :"This exhibition serves as a momentum for Korea and China to comfort each other like two friends through culture and urge Japan to recognize its past and join hands together."

The materials on comfort women were presented by the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History and the Comfort Women Research Center at the Shanghai Normal University.

[Soundbite] Liu Rui (Chinese Comfort Women Research Center, Shanghai Normal Univ.): "We must know the history of this period. This exhibition was organized to teach history to young people and prevent similar tragedies from happening again."

The exhibition will run through April 26.