Yoon "Shinan Accident, Requests Civilian Fishing Boats to Join... Full Effort by Civil, Government, and Military"

Minister of Oceans and Fisheries and Vice Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety Dispatched, Ministry of National Defense Ordered to Deploy Additional 'Special Forces'

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] President Yoon Seok-yeol on the 5th regarding the capsizing accident of a fishing vessel off the coast of Sinan, Jeollanam-do, said, "The military and the coast guard are currently doing their best in the search operation, but we ask for the active participation of private fishing vessels," and urged, "Please make every effort in the search for lives through civil-government-military cooperation."

Kim Eun-hye, the chief public relations officer of the Presidential Office, told reporters at the Yongsan Presidential Office building in the afternoon that President Yoon received a phone report on the local situation from Park Woo-ryang, the mayor of Sinan County, that morning and gave such instructions.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Chief Kim said, "Since the accident yesterday, President Yoon has issued orders as the commander-in-chief for the prompt rescue for the safety of the crew and the families of the missing who are anxiously waiting," adding, "At dawn today, he instructed Defense Minister Lee Jong-seop to deploy three military helicopters and maritime patrol aircraft to search the sea, and also ordered the additional deployment of naval special forces."

Earlier, President Yoon said, "Do your utmost to expand the scope of on-site search and rescue," dispatching the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries and the Vice Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety to the site, and instructing the Minister of National Defense to send additional special forces. Especially, after receiving a report on the search and rescue situation at dawn, he urged, "The related ministries, including the Korea Coast Guard, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, should cooperate among agencies."

Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Cho Seung-hwan and Vice Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety Han Chang-seop were dispatched to the site. In addition to search and rescue activities, support for the victims' families is also being provided. Defense Minister Lee Jong-seop was instructed to deploy additional naval special forces. President Yoon said, "Be thorough in providing search and rescue situation updates to the families of the missing, supporting waiting spaces and supplies at the site, and having government officials from the ministries stay on-site."

Meanwhile, according to the West Sea Regional Coast Guard and Mokpo Coast Guard Station, at around 11:19 p.m. on the 4th, a 24-ton trap fishing vessel carrying 12 people capsized about 16.6 km west of Daebichi Island, Jaewon-ri, Imja-myeon, Sinan County, Jeollanam-do. Immediately after the accident, three crew members were rescued by a private merchant ship, and the coast guard conducted an overnight search, but nine people have not yet been found. The nine missing include seven Koreans and two Vietnamese.