Sewol Update: January 2015

Column summary: The Sewol Update provides you with the latest information on events related to the sinking of the MV Sewol on April 16, 2014, which left 295 dead and 9 missing.

Words by Singsing Kim

Translation by Dong-hun Kim

The sinking of the Sewol Ferry was recorded as the most Tweeted topic about Korea in 2014.

Slowalk, a consulting firm, has released a Sewol-themed calendar for use in 2015, entitled “Remember and Keep on Living.” The calendar comprises only numbers and letters in black, with no background images. The date of April 16 on the calendar is intentionally left blank.

Mr. Kim Young-ho, who lost his daughter to the Sewol Ferry disaster, published a book titled “Unworthy Dad: I Am a Truly Unworthy Dad, Because I Have Come To My Senses By Now” after concluding a 46-day hunger strike. In an interview he noted that the special Sewol Bill was not sufficient to investigate the disaster and indict those responsible for it. He has held numerous meetings with people from all across the country to ask for their help.

The documentary “Diving Bell” was released in a limited number of theaters on October 23, 2014. As of this writing, the film is believed to have been watched by 45,000 people.

The Gwangju Citizen Sanju group, having charged itself with mourning the Sewol Ferry disaster for three years, embarked on a 1,000-day-long pilgrimage around Gwangju on November 15, 2014, with plans to finish the walk on August 11, 2016. The pilgrimage was begun under the slogan “Seeking the Truth of the Sewol Ferry Disaster for the Safer Society in the Future.“ If you want to participate in this pilgrimage, please send an email to ilovegimchi@gmail.com for more information.