South
Korean President Park Geun-hye announced Monday that she would disband
the coast guard because of its inept efforts to rescue those stranded
aboard a sinking ferry, which left more than 300 people dead or missing,
mostly high school students.
Bowing, Park apologized twice, saying as president she is "ultimately responsible" for the disaster, which has triggered outpourings of anger and grief throughout South Korea.
The coast guard and other government agencies have come in for particularly pointed criticism for their slow and ineffective response in the early stages of the sinking. When the Sewol first sent out distress signals on the morning of April 16, miscommunication between the coast guard and maritime traffic control authorities caused delays in dispatching rescue vessels.
"The coast guard failed to fulfill its duties in the Sewol disaster," Park said. "The number of casualties could have been greatly reduced had it been more assertive in responding."
She said the coast guard's disaster response duties would be transferred to a new safety agency under the national government to allow for closer oversight and to ensure that regulations and disaster-response protocols are followed. Excessive cargo is suspected as a possible cause of the sinking.
Bowing, Park apologized twice, saying as president she is "ultimately responsible" for the disaster, which has triggered outpourings of anger and grief throughout South Korea.
The coast guard and other government agencies have come in for particularly pointed criticism for their slow and ineffective response in the early stages of the sinking. When the Sewol first sent out distress signals on the morning of April 16, miscommunication between the coast guard and maritime traffic control authorities caused delays in dispatching rescue vessels.
"The coast guard failed to fulfill its duties in the Sewol disaster," Park said. "The number of casualties could have been greatly reduced had it been more assertive in responding."
She said the coast guard's disaster response duties would be transferred to a new safety agency under the national government to allow for closer oversight and to ensure that regulations and disaster-response protocols are followed. Excessive cargo is suspected as a possible cause of the sinking.
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