[Asia Economy Sejong=Reporter Kim Hyewon] Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum expressed the government's apology on behalf of the government to the bereaved families on the 8th anniversary of the Sewol ferry disaster on the 16th.
On the day, Prime Minister Kim stated in his memorial address at the 8th anniversary remembrance ceremony of the Sewol ferry disaster held at Ansan Hwarang Amusement Park, "The government of the Republic of Korea failed to protect the lives of our people. We failed to protect your families. I bow my head and apologize on behalf of the government."
Prime Minister Kim said, "What the Sewol ferry disaster clearly taught our community is that there can be no compromise when it comes to 'safety.' If anyone had raised their conscience voice saying 'safety must come first' during the numerous processes leading up to the disaster, we might have been able to prevent this tragedy." He added, "Even now, there are voices in our society suggesting to compromise safety for the sake of inconvenience and cost reduction. That must not happen," emphasizing the point.
Referring to the '4.16 Life Safety Park,' which is scheduled to be established by 2024, the 10th anniversary of the disaster, Prime Minister Kim said, "I deeply thank the citizens of Ansan who empathized with the pain of their fellow citizens and showed boundless generosity."
Prime Minister Kim said, "The 'Holocaust Memorial' in Berlin, Germany, and the '9/11 Memorial' in New York, USA, are social disaster memorial parks and spaces for mourning located right in the middle of the city." He added, "No one who visits these facilities views them negatively. Parks and monuments show that the members of the city embrace, remember, and comfort the victims of social disasters together, and that they are citizens with great humanity." He continued, "If we can even slightly understand the grief of the bereaved families who can never return to their previous daily lives, we all should remember this day and share that pain as fellow citizens who are not ashamed."
Prime Minister Kim said, "Protecting the lives of the people is the responsibility of the state. From now on, it is essential for any government to prevent social disasters and strengthen the nation's disaster management capabilities." He added, "The government will make every effort until the end to ensure that there are no shortcomings in victim support."
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