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South Korea’s Leader and Media Face Scrutiny Over Ferry Disaster South Korea’s Leader and Media Face Scrutiny Over Ferry Disaster
(about 4 hours later)
SEOUL, South Korea — Parents of high school students killed in the South Korean ferry disaster marched on the office of President Park Geun-hye in central Seoul on Friday, as prosecutors tightened their investigative noose around an enigmatic family that controls the operator of the doomed ferry.SEOUL, South Korea — Parents of high school students killed in the South Korean ferry disaster marched on the office of President Park Geun-hye in central Seoul on Friday, as prosecutors tightened their investigative noose around an enigmatic family that controls the operator of the doomed ferry.
Holding photos of their children, the parents said they came to ask for a meeting with Ms. Park to demand an inquiry into allegations that a tardy and bumbling response by her government drastically increased the number of deaths in the country’s worst disaster in decades.Holding photos of their children, the parents said they came to ask for a meeting with Ms. Park to demand an inquiry into allegations that a tardy and bumbling response by her government drastically increased the number of deaths in the country’s worst disaster in decades.
They also demanded that the government dismiss a top news editor at KBS, South Korea's largest public broadcasting company, where the government has at least an indirect influence in appointing its top management. Some local media quoted him as saying during a recent lunch with colleagues that the number of dead in the ferry tragedy was “not many, compared with the number of people killed in traffic accidents each year.” KBS denied that the editor made the comment. They also demanded that the government dismiss a top news editor at KBS, South Korea’s largest public broadcasting company, where the government has at least an indirect influence in appointing its top management. Some local media quoted the editor as saying during a recent lunch with colleagues that the number of dead in the ferry tragedy was “not many, compared with the number of people killed in traffic accidents each year.” KBS denied that the editor made the comment.
“We are not criminals,” Kim Byong-kwon, whose daughter died in the sinking of the ferry Sewol on April 16, shouted through a loudspeaker. "We have come here not as protesters but to make an appeal to her.” “We are not criminals,” Kim Byong-kwon, whose daughter died in the sinking of the ferry Sewol on April 16, shouted through a loudspeaker. “We have come here not as protesters but to make an appeal to her.”
Two senior presidential aides met family representatives. For 12 hours, hundreds of parents and supporters staged a sit-in near Ms. Park’s presidential palace, until Kil Hwan-young, head of KBC, came and apologized for the editor’s “inappropriate” comment. Two senior presidential aides met family representatives. For 12 hours, hundreds of parents and supporters staged a sit-in near Ms. Park’s presidential palace, until Kil Hwan-young, head of KBS, came and apologized for the editor’s “inappropriate” comment.
Their sit-in, and its intense media coverage, represented a latest sign of brewing political trouble for Ms. Park. Her approval ratings have sharply dropped since the disaster, with some South Koreans calling for her resignation. Their sit-in, and its intense media coverage, represented the latest sign of brewing political trouble for Ms. Park. Her approval ratings have sharply dropped since the disaster, with some South Koreans calling for her resignation.
On Thursday, eight university students climbed the landmark stature of an ancient Korean king in central Seoul, unfurling a banner that said, “Down with the Park Geun-hye regime!” They were quickly detained by the police. On Thursday, eight university students climbed the landmark statue of an ancient Korean king in central Seoul, unfurling a banner that said, “Down with the Park Geun-hye regime!” They were quickly detained by the police.
As of Friday, 273 people were found to have died in the disaster, a vast majority of them students. Divers were still searching the sunken ferry and its vicinity for 31 people who remain missing more than three weeks after the overloaded vessel sank off southwestern South Korea.As of Friday, 273 people were found to have died in the disaster, a vast majority of them students. Divers were still searching the sunken ferry and its vicinity for 31 people who remain missing more than three weeks after the overloaded vessel sank off southwestern South Korea.
Ms. Park has apologized several times for failing to prevent the disaster and what she called her government’s fumbling in the early stages of rescue efforts. Under the mounting pressure, she has vowed stern punishment, blaming the accident on “the deep-rooted evils from the past” — corporate greed and collusive ties between businesses and regulators that she said bred lax safety measures and loose regulatory enforcement.Ms. Park has apologized several times for failing to prevent the disaster and what she called her government’s fumbling in the early stages of rescue efforts. Under the mounting pressure, she has vowed stern punishment, blaming the accident on “the deep-rooted evils from the past” — corporate greed and collusive ties between businesses and regulators that she said bred lax safety measures and loose regulatory enforcement.
On Friday, prosecutors tightened their investigations around the family of Yoo Byung-eun, who had made headlines in the 1990s when he was investigated in the mass suicide of 32 members of a religious cult and was convicted of fraud.On Friday, prosecutors tightened their investigations around the family of Yoo Byung-eun, who had made headlines in the 1990s when he was investigated in the mass suicide of 32 members of a religious cult and was convicted of fraud.
Mr. Yoo, in his 70s, had since largely disappeared from the public view until the ferry disaster. The ferry operator, Chonghaejin Marine Co., is controlled by a company owned by his two sons.Mr. Yoo, in his 70s, had since largely disappeared from the public view until the ferry disaster. The ferry operator, Chonghaejin Marine Co., is controlled by a company owned by his two sons.
Mr. Yoo, who has recently worked as a professional photographer, said through his lawyer and public relations agency that he was not a shareholder of Chonghaejin and was not involved in its management.Mr. Yoo, who has recently worked as a professional photographer, said through his lawyer and public relations agency that he was not a shareholder of Chonghaejin and was not involved in its management.
But investigators said they were looking into whether Mr. Yoo was controlling the ferry company through his children, as well as allegations that his family has been using Chonghaejin and other companies as tools to raise illegal funds. These companies, run by family members and their associates, were interlocked with each other through cross-share holdings, which investigators said allowed the family to control them like a typical South Korean family-controlled business empire. But theirs were mostly obscure companies with small revenues, some involved in running organic farms, including one in California.But investigators said they were looking into whether Mr. Yoo was controlling the ferry company through his children, as well as allegations that his family has been using Chonghaejin and other companies as tools to raise illegal funds. These companies, run by family members and their associates, were interlocked with each other through cross-share holdings, which investigators said allowed the family to control them like a typical South Korean family-controlled business empire. But theirs were mostly obscure companies with small revenues, some involved in running organic farms, including one in California.
On Friday, prosecutors said that they were seeking to arrest Kim Han-sik, the head of Chonghaejin, on charges of ignoring a routine overloading of the Sewol to generate profits at the cost of safety for passengers. Also on Friday, they arrested Lee Jae-young, 62, head of a company named Ahae Corp., on charges of squandering corporate funds by buying millions of dollars of worth of Mr. Yoo's photos at prices far higher than market values. On Friday, prosecutors said that they were seeking to arrest Kim Han-sik, the head of Chonghaejin, on charges of ignoring a routine overloading of the Sewol to generate profits at the cost of safety for passengers. Also on Friday, they arrested Lee Jae-young, 62, head of a company named Ahae Corp., on charges of squandering corporate funds by buying millions of dollars of worth of Mr. Yoo’s photos at prices far higher than market values.
They were also seeking to arrest the heads of two other companies on similar charges, as well as several Yoo family members. Prosecutors were also seeking to arrest the heads of two other companies on similar charges, as well as several Yoo family members.
Mr. Yoo was not immediately available for comment. Questions on the allegations against him, delivered through his public relations agency, were not answered. Mr. Yoo was not immediately available for comment. Questions about the allegations against him, delivered through his public relations agency, were not answered.
Mr. Yoo was a leading member of the Evangelical Baptist Church of Korea, which was founded by his father-in-law. He spent four years in prison in the 1990s for defrauding his church members to finance the expansion of his businesses. He was also investigated for a possible connection with the mass suicide of 32 cult church members who were found dead, bound or hanged in the ceiling of a factory restaurant in 1987, but he was not charged. He had also once headed a ferry company that went bankrupt.Mr. Yoo was a leading member of the Evangelical Baptist Church of Korea, which was founded by his father-in-law. He spent four years in prison in the 1990s for defrauding his church members to finance the expansion of his businesses. He was also investigated for a possible connection with the mass suicide of 32 cult church members who were found dead, bound or hanged in the ceiling of a factory restaurant in 1987, but he was not charged. He had also once headed a ferry company that went bankrupt.
But in recent years, he has turned to photography, holding an exhibition of his works, mainly showing nature scenes, in the Louvre and the Palace of Versailles under the pseudonym of "Ahae," the Korean word for “child.” But in recent years, Mr. Yoo has turned to photography, holding an exhibition of his works, mainly showing nature scenes, in the Louvre and the Palace of Versailles under the pseudonym of “Ahae,” the Korean word for “child.”
“I am dismayed at the media reports linking him to the Sewol incident and suggesting that he is directly responsible for this tragedy," said Michael Ham, managing director of Ahae Press, which markets Mr. Yoo's work. "These claims cannot be further from the truth. I know that he has been spending every single day of the past four to five years focusing on his photography work.” “I am dismayed at the media reports linking him to the Sewol incident and suggesting that he is directly responsible for this tragedy,” said Michael Ham, managing director of Ahae Press, which markets Mr. Yoo’s work. “These claims cannot be further from the truth. I know that he has been spending every single day of the past four to five years focusing on his photography work.”