Angry and divided, South Korea mourns on anniversary of Sewol ferry disaster

A day of mourning for the 304 victims of the Sewol ferry sinking was overtaken by acrimony on Thursday, as organisers called off a ceremony planned to mark its one-year anniversary to protest against the South Korean government’s response to the disaster.

The main group representing bereaved families said the government had let them down again by failing to announce by the anniversary a decision to raise the ship in hopes of finding the bodies of nine victims still missing.

The group’s leader also cited President Park Geun-hye’s decision not to attend the memorial service as a reason for calling it off. Instead, Park visited the southwestern port of Jindo, which had served as a makeshift morgue when the ferry sank on April 16 a year ago.

“We want to say how disappointed we are that the government and the president have made it impossible for the families to hold this memorial service,” the group’s leader, Yoo Gyoung-geun, announced outside the hangar-like structure that houses a memorial altar for the Sewol victims.

“They are going to have to take responsibility,” Yoo said.

The year since the ferry sank during a routine voyage from Incheon to Jeju island has been one of both grief and anger towards the government for the families of victims.