On the 16th, marking the 9th anniversary of the Sewol ferry disaster, the leadership of both ruling and opposition parties attended the memorial ceremony side by side. The party leaders wiped away tears quietly while watching memorial videos without making any remarks.
Kim Gi-hyeon, leader of the People Power Party, Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Lee Jeong-mi, leader of the Justice Party, attended the '9th Anniversary Memorial Ceremony of the Sewol Ferry Disaster' held at Hwarang Recreation Area in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province at 3 p.m. that day.
Opposition floor leaders were also present at the event, while Yoon Jae-ok, floor leader of the People Power Party, attended a memorial ceremony for civilian victims of the Sewol ferry disaster held in Bupyeong District, Incheon, that morning.
Regardless of party affiliation, the leaders quietly observed the memorial ceremony without making any remarks about current issues or the 9th anniversary of the Sewol disaster, wiping away tears.
After the event ended, the leaders did not respond to reporters' questions and left the venue. When encouraged by an attendee to stay strong, Kim replied, "Yes, I will take care," before leaving. Lee Jae-myung also got into a vehicle and left without saying anything.
However, Lee posted on Facebook that morning, stating, "Protecting the lives and safety of the people is the state's foremost duty. Including faithfully implementing the recommendations of the 'Special Investigation Commission on Social Disasters,' I will fulfill political responsibilities to ensure the country remains a true nation."
Lee Jeong-mi also wrote on Facebook, "The government and the National Assembly must stop any attempts to approach the pain of the Sewol disaster with partisan interests," adding, "They must promise to provide answers with infinite responsibility."
Kang Min-guk, chief spokesperson for the People Power Party, said in a statement, "Today is also 'National Safety Day,' established to remind us of the importance of safety following the Sewol ferry disaster," and added, "The People Power Party and the Yoon Suk-yeol administration will work harder to review safety across society and improve deficient systems."
Kim Gi-hyeon did not post any related messages on his personal social media.
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