by STEVE HAN | @steve_han
editor@charactermedia.com
South Korea will launch a new government agency this week to replace the disbanded coast guard as part of President Park Geun-hye’s plans to reform the country’s emergency and safety management in response to the ferry disaster that killed 304 people in April.
In May, President Park Geun-hye announced plans to scrap South Korea’s coast guard due to its failure to carry out proper rescue operations when hundreds of high school students on a field trip were trapped inside a capsized ferry. The new government agency, called the National Safety Agency, will have more than 10,000 staff. The agency will be equipped with fire and emergency response teams, according to the South Korean government’s announcement on Tuesday.
Lee Joon-seok, the captain of the ferry Sewol, and 14 other surviving members have been convicted of charges ranging from homicide to negligence. Lee, 68, was sentenced to 36 years in prison.
Park’s opponents criticized her sudden decision to disband the coast guard, saying that she is merely attempting to divert criticism from her own regime by directing the responsibility at the coast guard. Some accused the Park’s regime of failing to monitor the Korea Shipping Association, a lobby group that approved the safety of the Sewol ferry, even though it was overloaded with cargo that was poorly secured.
Founded in 1953, the South Korean coast guard has been responsible for preventing Chinese fishing vessels from intruding the South Korean part of the maritime boundary. Some are also concerned that disbanding the coast guard could potentially increase drug smuggling from China and Southeast Asian countries due to weakened coastal protection.
Photo courtesy of Reuters
