Sewol July 2015
Translated by Lee Harim, Kim Myeongjun and Jeong Jimin
A Sewol Hero Suffers With Cancer
Fourteen months ago, Mr. Kim Honggyung who saved Danwon High School students during the Sewol Ferry disaster, was diagnosed with stage four stomach cancer. He has been fighting this disease since last December.
At the time of the MV Sewol accident, Mr. Kim boarded the ferry going to Jeju Island with a vehicle that carrying plumbing equipment.
When the ship entered the Maenggol Channel in Jeonnam Jindo and began sinking, Mr. Kim was on the right top floor deck and could have easily escaped. Instead, he went back to help save dozens of Danwon High School students.
Due to Kim’s bravery, the Construction Worker Association awarded him with a prize, which he then refused. According to Kim, it was meaningless in light of the many that died in the accident.
Kim lost his livelihood, van and equipment on the Sewol Ferry. After being diagnosed, he believed the South Korean government would compensate him for the loss of his life’s work. The government promised to compensate him for damages up 5.3 million won, but has still not paid him. In the meantime, his hospital debts have grown to 15 million won.
Refloating the Sewol Ferry
On May 22, The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries issued a public announcement for an international bid on the Sewol Ferry refloating contract. The budget target is within 100 billion Korean won and will be awarded through a weighted bidding process. The bids will be evaluated with a weighted maximum skill score of ninety points, and price score of ten points, out of a hundred points.
Essential conditions for bidding included three terms: salvage of the entire vessel without cutting, minimizing the loss of human remains, and collection of all accessible remaining oil.
Items to be evaluated in the technical proposal include best efforts to minimize danger and uncertainty through salvage, preventative measures protecting against the loss of human remains, and comprehensiveness of refloating plans.
After proposal evaluation, The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries plans to finalize a contract in July through negotiations with the best bidding company, and to start marine refloating operations in September.