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By Park Si-soo
The Defense Security Command (DSC) is in deeper trouble after a ruling party lawmaker disclosed a document that said the intelligence-collecting military unit in 2014 suggested "burying" the ferry Sewol at sea, instead of salvaging it.
The move was aimed at staving off uproar against then President Park Geun-hye that could erupt when the ship was hoisted.
The ferry sank on April 16, 2014, in waters off the Korean Peninsula's southern coast, killing 304 people, mostly high school students on a field trip. It turned out later that maritime police were lazy in rescuing trapped people and some government officials even manipulated data to avoid responsibility. The tragic sinking and delayed salvage contributed to nationwide protests against Park, who was ousted in March 2017.
Rep. Lee Cheol-hee of the ruling Democratic Party disclosed the controversial DSC document on Wednesday. It was written on June 3, 2014, to be delivered to the presidential office.
"Effectiveness of hoisting ferry Sewol is questionable given the widespread opposition (to the idea of hoisting the ferry) and other related conditions," the document reads. The DSC suggested an "underwater burial" as an alternative.
Referring to the USS Arizona, a U.S. warship sunk by the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 that has been left submerged, the intelligence unit said: "Like the U.S. we can consider making a memorial hall at the point of the ferry's sinking."
The DSC even opposed retrieving the bodies of missing passengers.
"Letting bodies flow to the ocean or submerged are one of our traditional ways of funeral," the document reads.
In another document, written on May 14, 2014, the DSC suggested Park look "sad and teary" to the people, which would be "helpful in bouncing back her falling approval rate." It's unknown if Park read this. But in a televised national address five days later, Park wept.
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| Park Geun-hye weeps during a televised address on the sinking of ferry Sewol. |
The DSC took many by surprise last week when Rep. Lee disclosed its classified 2016 document suggesting the military consider imposing martial law and mobilizing forces to quell candlelight protests against Park. Neither martial law nor a military crackdown was implemented. But the fact the DCS came up with such ideas shocked many people.
Amid brewing controversy, President Moon Jae-in ordered a thorough investigation of the case early this week.
