문재인 대통령, 세월호 피해자 가족들 초청 면담
It was an emotional day at the Blue House.
For the first time since the Sewol-ho ferry disaster three years ago, President Moon Jae-in invited the families of victims to the nation's top office... where they received an apology from the President himself.
Our Blue House correspondent Hwang Hojun reports.
It's been three years and four months since the sinking of the Sewol-ho ferry, one of the nation's worst maritime accidents that claimed the lives of 309 people, most of them high school students.
And on Wednesday, the reception hall of the Presidential Office of Cheong Wa Dae welcomed more than 200 family members of the victims, all dressed in yellow in remembrance of the incident.
They met with President Moon Jae-in, who offered his most sincere apologies.
"No matter what the cause was, it's undeniable that the government failed to prevent this tragedy. Though belated, I offer my apology and condolences on behalf of the government."
He also underscored the importance of finding the truth behind the disaster to make sure such accident would never happen again.
"The public still doesn't know why such preposterous accident took place, why the past administration was so incompetent and irresponsible in dealing with the incident, what the Blue House did while so many children were dying, why the previous government was so keen to avoid and ignore finding the truth, and why it took so long to recover the hull."
According to the Blue House, the president stressed the government's will to work hard along with the National Assembly to shed some light on those unresolved questions.
President Moon said a Second Sewol Special Investigation Commission, which will have legal authority, will be more effective than the government itself. It will also signify the continuation of the legacy of the first special commission. He said he trusts the special law will get parliamentary approval.
One of the parents of the victims said just meeting the president and having an opportunity to have his voice heard was a great consolation. President Moon said he'd initially wanted to invite the families once all the missing passengers were recovered, but asked them to come while the search is still going on. He pledged the government will do everything it can to ensure the remains of the five passengers still missing are returned to their families.
Hwang Hojun, Arirang News.
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