South Korea's President Will Disband Its Coast Guard
Apologizing for a rescue operation that saved only a fraction of the passengers on a ferry that sank last month, South Korea's president said she plans to dismantle the country's Coast Guard and reform its emergency and safety systems.
President Park Geun-hye announced the shakeup in a televised address to the nation. At times, she wept as she spoke, particularly as she read out the names of passengers and crew members who were killed. Most of those who died were teenagers on a high school trip.
"As president (I am) responsible for the people's lives and safety, and I offer a heartfelt apology for the pain the people have suffered," Park said, according to The Korea Herald. "The ultimate responsibility for failing to respond properly to this accident lies with me."
But Park also said the Coast Guard was poorly structured and unable to respond to emergencies such as the ferry sinking, and that changes must be made. Her speech came a bit more than one month after the ferry Sewol sank, killing more than 300 out of the 476 people who were on board.
The days after the initial incident were marked by anticipation of news that more survivors had been saved – but for many Koreans, those hopes turned into anger and frustration after no further rescues were made.
As for the Coast Guard's tasks, Park is "handing over some of the responsibilities to the national police agency," Seoul-based journalist Jason Strother reports on Morning Edition. "But she also plans to create a new government agency, an emergency response division."