hankyoreh

Parents of Sewol victims camp out in front of the National Assembly on Dec. 6. (Kang Chang-kwang, staff photographer)

In November 2017, Hong Young-mi laid out a sleeping bag in front of the National Assembly to call for the enactment of the Special Act on Investigating the Truth of Social Disasters and Building a Safe Society and for the launch of the Special Commission on Social Disaster Investigation.

Hong, the mother of a victim of the 2014 Sewol tragedy, spent 20 days marching in 2015 for an investigation into the Sewol tragedy. She spent the nights in her sleeping bag while on the road.

“I’d like to throw my sleeping bag away, but I haven’t been able to for six years now,” Hong, now 51, told the Hankyoreh in front of the National Assembly on Dec. 6.

“The amendment to the Social Disasters Special Act needs to be passed at this [National Assembly] session in order to investigate the Sewol tragedy and punish those responsible,” she said. “I want to be able to throw out my sleeping bag at some point.”

On Dec. 3, Hong and other parents of Sewol victims began a sit-in demonstration by the National Assembly. They are calling for extending the deadline for the Special Commission’s investigation, arguing that the tragedy has not yet been properly investigated due to time limitations and uncooperativeness by the relevant institutions. They maintain that an amendment to the Social Disaster Special Act is absolutely essential to prolong the activities of the Special Commission, which is set to expire on Dec. 10.

“There hasn’t yet been an investigation into why the Sewol sank and why there wasn’t a rescue after it sank. The problem is that COVID-19 has made it difficult to investigate in person, and the information hasn’t really been provided because the Coast Guard and other relevant institutions are being uncooperative,” Hong explained.

“We’re finally seeing some level of cooperation. The activity period needs to be extended so there can be proper scrutiny,” she insisted.

What the family members are looking for is the unaltered passage of amendments to the Social Disasters Special Act sponsored by Democratic Party lawmakers Lee Tah-ney and Park Ju-min. First presented in September, Lee’s amendment would add a special provision concerning the statute of limitations. Specifically, it would increase the time limit for punishments of crimes in connection with a humidifier disinfectant case and the Sewol tragedy to 10 years.

Park’s amendment, which was presented last month, has the aim of extending the Special Commission’s investigation deadline and beefing up its authority. It would increase the special investigation committee personnel limit from 120 to 150, while endowing it with the authority to acquire data from institutions such as the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS) and the Supreme Court. Such institutions have often cited privacy issues when refusing to submit data in the past. The amendment would further suspend the statute of limitations for criminal acts in connection with the Sewol tragedy while the special investigation committee remains active.

The Special Commission’s investigation deadline would be extended by two years. Both bills are currently pending in the relevant standing committee, namely the National Policy Committee.

The family members called for proactive legislation by the National Assembly. Jang Dong-won, the father of a student who survived the tragedy, took part in the demonstration.

“During the last administration, the Democratic Party said it was difficult to investigate because it didn’t have enough National Assembly seats, but now they have a majority,” he said. “Most people are saying the matter has been investigated since the Moon administration took office, but nothing has been brought to light.”

“Rather than trying to avoid stepping on toes, the Democratic Party needs to take the lead in passing an amendment for an investigation,” he urged.

Participants were also critical of the political opposition. Hong said, “After promising to cooperate with the investigation, the People Power Party [PPP] is now changing its tune and saying it would be ‘unreasonable’ to extend the Special Commission period.”

“They need to stop exploiting the Sewol tragedy for political ends. We need a nonpartisan decision by politicians,” she stressed.

Lawmaker Park Ju-min, who has joined the Sewol family members in their demonstration, said, “The PPP had responded positively for a time, and we solicited their cooperation, but it hasn’t been going well.”

“Once the party platform is set, we plan to hold a vote and try to discuss the amendments during the main session on Dec. 9,” he said.

On Dec. 6, Democratic Party lawmakers in their 30s and 40s held a press conference at the National Assembly to insist that the Social Disasters Special Act amendments “need to be passed in their original form as the family members are demanding.”

“There is no time left. The Democratic Party leadership needs to ensure that [the amendments] are passed during the regular session [plenary meeting] on Dec. 9,” they stressed.

During a visit with the Sewol family members demonstrating at the National Assembly that day, Democratic Party leader Lee Nak-yon said, “To begin with, there isn’t going to be any more negotiating on the legislation.”

“We will not have any vacuum arising due to the time limit [for the Special Commission’s activities] expiring,” he promised, adding that the issue “will not be over as long as the family members do not accept it.”

By Jeon Gwang-joon and Jung Hwan-bong, staff reporters

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