Photos from News1:
The Past Year ‘Frozen in Time’ for Grieving Families of Sewol Victims
Intern reporter Han Seol, designer Chui Jin-mo, designer Lee Eun-joo, designer Bang Eun-yeong. It’s been a year since the April 16, 2014 sinking of the Sewol ferry where 304 people lost their lives. Nine people are still missing and have yet to be recovered from the frosty ocean. Tears, waiting, sadness, anger…time has stopped for grieving families this past year. These pictures reflect the past year for families of the Sewol ferry disaster.
April 16, 2014
Grieving families of the Sewol tragedy still living the day
April 16, 2014
Day of Sewol ferry tragedy.
Parents gather at Danwon high school upon hearing the news.
April 16, 2014
Day of Sewol ferry tragedy.
Rushing to Paengmok Harbor in Jindo.
April 16, 2014
Day of Sewol ferry tragedy.
“Is my child’s name here?” Examining list of those rescued.
April 16, 2014
Day of Sewol ferry tragedy.
Sitting at Paengmok Harbor waiting dispiritedly.
April 17, 2014
Begging those involved on their knees to quickly rescue the victims
April 17, 2014
Pleading with and protesting to President Park Geun-hye.
April 18, 2014
Praying that the victims will return safely.
April 18, 2014
Devastated mothers sobbing, and waiting for news of rescue.
April 20, 2014
Families of the missing victims head to the Blue House. Blocked by police, they drop to the ground.
April 21, 2014
Families of the missing victims board a guard ship heading towards the location of the incident.
May 1, 2014
Grieving families protest in front of Danwon High School. Grief turns to anger.
May 1, 2014
Grieving families and families of the missing victims console one another.
May 3, 2014
Meeting mourners in front of the group memorial altar in Ansan holding picket signs demanding an “independent fact-finding commission.”
May 5, 2014
Families demand the government take responsibility for a “truth finding commission” and holding silent vigil.
May 8, 2014
Heading to the KBS newsroom to demand a face-to-face conversation with Reporter Kim Shi-gon over his callous remarks.
May 9, 2014
Families gather in front of Blue House after President Park refuses to meet with them.
May 28, 2014
In front of the National Assembly, appealing tearfully to opposing parties to launch a government investigation.
June 3, 2014
Attending the 49th day memorial ceremony for the 21 victims. Young girl wipes away her mother’s tears.
June 10, 2014
Families hold picket protest in front of the Gwangju court where Captain Lee Joon-seok and 15 other crew members are on trial.
All-night sit-in protest in front of the National Assembly.
July 14, 2014
Families start hunger strike in Gwanghwamun Square.
July 14, 2014
Writing messages on yellow cloth.
July 15, 2014
Wave of people holding yellow umbrellas march towards National Assembly to give them boxes containing more than 3.5 million signatures.
July 19, 2014
Yellow umbrellas fill Gwanghwamun Square at the “Rally to Establish the April 16 Sewol Special Law.”
July 22, 2014
Yellow pinwheels with heartfelt messages written on them spin in front of the hunger strike tent in Gwanghwamun square.
Stroking photo of deceased victims before departing on a walking demonstration,
Families march the day prior to the 100th day since the Sewol tragedy.
July 24, 2014
The 100th day since the Sewol tragedy. Citizens clap consolingly for families, who head for Seoul Plaza.
July 25, 2014
Families march towards the Blue House to demand the “Establishment of a Special Sewol Act,” but are blocked by police.
August 4, 2014
Families clutch yellow pinwheels in their hands during the press interview.
August 8, 2014
Dropping to the ground in front of the National Assembly and gazing at their children’s photos after police block their entrance.
August 11, 2014
Yoomin’s father on his 29th day of hunger strike.
August 13, 2014
Demanding again to speak face-to-face with President Park.
August 16, 2014
Pope Francis comforts grieving families.
August 19, 2014
Watching the trial of the Sewol ferry crew members.
August 24, 2014
Throwing yellow paper airplanes at the Blue House.
August 26, 2014
Families demand answers from the Blue House, sleeping in the open in front of the National Assembly, and conducting sit-in demonstrations.
September 2, 2014
Conducting “three steps, one bow” pilgrimage walk to Blue House carrying 4 million signatures.
September 5, 2014
On the 15th day of the sit-in demonstrations, families make yellow ribbons ahead of Chuseok.
September 29, 2014
Carrying deceased victims’ portraits from the group memorial altar in Ansan to Incheon.
October 1, 2014
Sit-in demonstrations continue as families reject a special Sewol act negotiated by both parties.
October 29, 2014
President Park and members of the National Assembly pass by a picket demonstration by the grieving families.
November 1, 2014
Families hold a memorial ceremony on the 200th day since the Sewol tragedy, and wipe their tears as they listen to the memorial address.
November 5, 2014
The 76th day of waiting in front of the Blue House.
November 7, 2014
Tears at the passing of the “Sewol Special Act.”
December 25, 2014
At a Christmas Day worship praying that the truth will be uncovered.
December 27, 2014
Sobbing as they lay wreaths at a joint send off ceremony for the deceased victims.
January 1, 2015
Families prepare “mom’s meals” to bring in the new year. [There is a seat for President Park in the picture.]
The city of Seoul notified families of their plan to remove 13 tents in Gwanghwamun square.
February 5, 2015
March towards Ansan’s Paengmok Harbor to demand a truth finding investigation and salvaging the ship.
March 29, 2015
Families conduct walking march with “three steps, one bow.”
March 30, 2015
Proclamation to hold a 416 hour sit-in to demand abolishing the enforcement ordinance and recover the Sewol ferry, march towards the Blue House.
April 2, 2015
Tears flow as family members shave their heads to demand a truth finding investigation and recovery of the ship.
April 5, 2015
Family members wear mourning clothes as they walk towards Gwanghwamun carrying photos of the deceased victims.
April 11, 2015
After a memorial rally, families march towards the Blue House but are again stopped by police.
April 15, 2015
The day before the anniversary of the Sewol tragedy, families look for the place the Sewol sank.
Comments from Naver:
erp1****
Please remember the divers who passed away during the rescue operation, too!!
5281**** [Responding to above]
Why did your good comment get so many down votes? Rest in peace, divers.
kuns**** [Responding to above]
Keke, you wonder why the comment received so many down votes? Because lefty zombie bastards oppose anything that distracts attention from the Sewol victims’ families, keke. The death of divers is a negative factor for the families, keke. Can’t you see that? You can see how hypocritical and selfish they are and they still want attention? What attention when they distinguish Danwon high school students from other victims in the accident? They can have their own protests. It’s their business. This is not just my opinion. A lot of people have already turned their back on the families. Let’s see the reality, please.
aqua**** [Responding to above]
Who would down vote the comment because they don’t feel sad about the divers’ sacrifice? It is because guys like you use their sacrifice to mock the families. Don’t taint their honor and humiliate the dead. Your sarcastic tone makes me want to vomit.
scws**** [Responding to above]
Who’s mocking? You guys want to reveal the truth. People wholeheartedly agree. An accident like that should never happen again. So you can’t accept the truth that has been revealed so far? What is the truth you want? Do you think something new will come out if you do a special investigation? Sure, let’s do it. So what was the problem? The ship was flawed and the coast guard made a mistake. What else? Do you want more compensation money? Please, what is the truth you speak of?
wate****
Their tears haven’t dried yet… Time nonchalantly flies. The families were busy going everywhere and trying to reveal the truth. But nothing has gotten better for us. Pathetic, pitiful, sad, outrageous… At least today, I hate being Korean.
mjc0**** [Responding to above]
Just what kind of truth are you talking about…? The families should refrain themselves. Do they think the Blue House is their own living room? They make unreasonable requests and spread conspiracy theories. Why would Park Geun-hye meet them? They also curse out the police who announced in advance that they would block the families’ [entrance]. They say nonsensical things like the Sewol ferry collided with a submarine or the ship belongs to the National Intelligence Service… The families brawled at a pub and didn’t show up at the divers’ funerals. They are like little children…tsk.
ssa2****
9 missing passengers are still in the cold water after 1 year. Negligent accidents still happen. Nothing has changed. I won’t forget until the day when the truth is revealed.
90fk**** [Responding to above]
But the cause and effect have already been revealed? When the navigator veered 5 degrees consecutively, the aged ship’s ballast water didn’t function properly and the cargo made the ship tilt. It was all about the ship’s performance problems. What more do you want to suck out of our tax money?
kmsw****
I won’t forget the families of the victims of Sampoong department store’s collapse and Daegu subway accident and the fallen soldiers of the Yeonpyeong skirmish, bombardment of Yeonpyeong, and Cheonan sinking by North Koreans, I will remember them forever.
pyj0**** [Responding to above]
They were all equally sad incidents. Why are there protests only for the Sewol accident? Why do we have to make a special law for it? Why do you have to mourn for this long? The families beat up people and stood above the law. They call on the President as they please. Why are they so different from other victims’ families?
dlwj****
What have we done for a year up the point the families shaved their heads? How useless of neighbors have we been for them? From now on, more people should act together and support them until the truth is revealed.
hur0****
One year has passed since the accident. What are we doing now? What has the government done? I’m not trying to criticize someone. We are at a point where we have to think about it. Such accidents can happen to us, too.
ejoo****
I can’t understand the logic of the comments that follow around these articles about the families. They get more attention because most of the victims were Danwon high school students. Nobody stole the attention from the divers, non-student victims, or the harbor’s residents. Why would you try to create a critical viewpoint against them who inevitably got more attention and expressed their voice more actively? Why would you even bring up the Cheonan sinking here and relentlessly comment? I know full well that you guys are paid commenters. Even so, listen to your own conscience!!
ghwl**** [Responding to above]
Kekeke, isn’t it bad business ethics for a paid commenter to accuse others of being paid commenters, you supporters of the Sewol Party’s noble families? I would be understanding of your attempt to manipulate comment sections but now you are accusing others of being paid commenters? Keke You guys have no conscience, kekeke
wear****
One year has passed nonchalantly. What have we gained after the big sacrifice? It seems there are more bad things than good things. My heart aches. Find strength, families. Soon the truth will be salvaged.
Khaled Norhane
Who can stop time? The families’ time has stopped. The missing people’s time has stopped, too. Someone stopped their time. Even if you can’t turn back their time, you shouldn’t stop their time. Let time flow by revealing the truth…
