Song Doo-hwan, chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission, answers lawmakers' questions during the National Assembly audit, March 8. Yonhap

Despite the deadly 2014 sinking of the Sewol ferry, efforts to build a safer society have not borne fruit, the chief of the National Human Rights Commission said Tuesday, marking the 10th anniversary of the tragedy.

Chairman Song Doo-hwan made the remark in a statement, noting that the exact cause of the Sewol's sinking has not been clearly determined and efforts to make institutional improvements to prevent such tragedies have not made enough progress.

The Sewol ferry sank off the southwestern coast of Korea while en route to the resort island of Jeju on April 16, 2014. The accident, one of the country's worst maritime tragedies, claimed 304 lives, mostly high school students on a school trip.

"We need to do serious soul-searching about why we could not find the truth and whether the current system, which failed to punish those responsible in a way acceptable to people, is truly righteous," Song said.

"It's time to recall the promise we made 10 years ago and stand in solidarity with all those longing for a safe society," Song said, calling on the government and the National Assembly to work together to make fundamental institutional improvements. (Yonhap)