South Korea: the sinking of the Sewol ferry, a tragedy of a whole generation

Published on : 06/11/2021 – 12:24

In this disaster, there were many failures: first the erroneous instructions, but also the attitude of the captain, one of the first to leave the ship, who was sentenced in April 2015 to life imprisonment. The coast guards who remained impassive. And the owner who was aware that his boat was overloaded. And despite everything, seven years later, the exact causes of the disaster remain unknown.

The sinking of the Sewol not only challenged South Korea’s hyper-hierarchical system, but it also brought out a new generation of politically engaged young people, called the “April 16 generation”. At the dawn of their twenties, many of them have entered politics, with the desire to upset a political class deemed apathetic.

France 24 reporters visited Ansan, a city located in the Seoul metropolitan area, where the young victims were from and where the pain is still particularly acute. Survivors, bereaved parents, high school principal, political authorities: all are mobilizing in their own way to overcome the trauma while, seven years after the tragedy, the investigation into the causes of the disaster is still at a standstill