DISPUTES OVER PRESERVING SEWOL FERRY HULL

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It's been three years since the Sewol ferry was recovered, but no decision has been made as to where and how to preserve the ferry hull that is rusting out in the elements. It is not even clear who is going to make those decisions. We have the details

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​The ferry has been left temporarily at Mokpo New Port after having been recovered in March 2017. The hull has rusted and discolored over the past three years as it was left unprotected against the elements. It was up to the hull investigation committee to decide where to preserve the ferry, but the committee disbanded before reaching a conclusion. The committee, however, suggested five places as candidate locations, which included Mokpo and Jindo in Jeollanam-do Province, and Ansan in Gyeonggi-do Province. Subsequently, the Special Commission on Social Disaster Investigation was launched, which included a subcommittee looking into the truth of the Sewol ferry disaster. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries believes that this subcommittee under the Special Commission should incorporate the opinions of the victims' families and decide where to preserve the ferry hull. But the Special Commission claims that it only has the authority to investigate the hull itself and the rest falls on the Ministry.

[Soundbite] PARK BYEONG-WOO(SPECIAL COMMISSION ON SOCIAL DISASTER INVESTIGATION) : "Nothing is made clear in the Social Disaster Act about hull preservation. So the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries should have total authority."

Meanwhile, the issue of setting up a memorial space at Paengmok Harbor still hasn't been resolved. The Jindo county government argues that there isn't enough space for a memorial hall and is also concerned that a memorial may disrupt the Jindo Port construction currently underway. But the victims' families and civic groups are adamant that even a small reminder of the accident site is needed.

[Soundbite] JANG HOON(4.16 SEWOL FAMILIES FOR TRUTH AND A SAFER SOCIETY) : "This is where autopsy was first performed on our children. This is a very meaningful place for us. But they're trying to remove such meaningful places. Nobody is going to remember what was here."

Time is passing by even as discussions about the hull preservation and a memorial space are in stalemate.