Prime Minister Chung Hong-won announces resignation amid criticism of government handling of the Sewol ferry disaster. South Korea's prime minister has announced his resignation over the
widespread criticism over the government's response to the April 16
ferry disaster.
Prime Minister Chung Hong-won announced his resignation early on Sunday at an emergency news conference in Seoul, the capital. "I offer my apology for having been unable to prevent this accident
from happening and unable to properly respond to it afterwards," he
said. "I believed I, as the prime minister, certainly had to take
responsibility and resign."
Chung's resignation was approved by President Park Geun-hye although
her spokesman later said that he would remain in his post until the
rescue operation was completed, the Reuters news agency reported.
The Sewol ferry sank on a routine trip south from the port of Incheon to the traditional holiday island of Jeju.
The government, along with almost all of its branches, has come under
fierce criticism over the disaster, and the handing of the rescue
operation.
Chung said that he wanted to resign earlier, but had given the
situation "first priority," adding that he did not want to be "any
burden to the administration".
More than 300 people, most of them students and teachers from one
high school on a field trip, have died or are missing and presumed dead. The children were told to stay put in their cabins, where they waited
for further orders. The confirmed death toll on Sunday was 187.
All 15 surviving crew members responsible for sailing the vessel are
now in custody and face charges ranging from criminal negligence to
abandoning passengers. Tempers have frayed over the slow pace of the recovery and frequent changes in information provided by the
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