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State, ferry operator ordered to compensate Sewol survivors

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Families of Sewol ferry victims and survivors hold posters demanding a thorough investigation into the 2014 sinking at a press conference held by the special investigative committee for large-scale social disasters in central Seoul, Dec. 11. / Korea Times photo by Shin Sang-soon
Families of Sewol ferry victims and survivors hold posters demanding a thorough investigation into the 2014 sinking at a press conference held by the special investigative committee for large-scale social disasters in central Seoul, Dec. 11. / Korea Times photo by Shin Sang-soon

By Lee Suh-yoon

A district court ordered the state and ferry operator Chonghaejin Marine to compensate survivors of the 2014 Sewol ferry disaster, Monday.

The Suwon District Court ruled each of the 20 survivors ― 16 of them former Danwon High School students ― should be given 80 million ($71,000) in compensation for the psychological trauma they experienced due to the inadequate safety response from the ferry operator and the rescue authorities. Seventy-six family members of the 20 survivors were also granted compensation ranging from 4 million won to 32 million won.

"The survivors were not informed they had to evacuate the ship for their safety, subjecting them to considerable difficulty and panic when they tried to do so later on," the court said. "Survivors and their family members are still suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety."

The state too was responsible for failing to carry out accurate search and rescue operations at the time of the accident and provide the survivors with proper medical, psychological and social aid, the court said. "It also victimized the survivors a second time through public criticism because it excessively advertised its support package to them."

Last July, the court ordered the state and the ferry operator to provide 200 million won in compensation for the families of each of the 304 victims who were killed in the Sewol sinking.




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