Responding to President Park Geun-hye’s call to seriously consider recovering the sunken Sewol ferry, the government released a study Friday that shows the recovery of the ferry to be technically possible.
The interim result of the government study was announced following the demand from the families of the victims to salvage the 6,825-ton ferry in order to determine the exact cause of the disaster and to recover the bodies of nine people who remain missing.
The study reviewed the feasibility of five salvage methods, according to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. The method employing a submersible floating dock appears to be the best option and relatively safer than other methods, according to the ministry, although it has never been tried. The method using a floating dock and offshore cranes is expected to cost between 100 billion won and 200 billion won, the entire process taking as long as 18 months.
The public, who were united in mourning the victims and condemning the perpetrators a year ago, are now divided between those who demand the salvage of the ferry and those who argue that the cost and the risks involved do not justify attempting to pull the ferry out of the water. The government said it has already spent 185 billion won, mostly in search and recovery operations that lasted nearly seven months after the sinking.
On April 9, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Yoo Ki-june overturned his suggestion three days earlier of a public opinion poll on the matter, saying that such a poll seems no longer necessary given the rise in public sentiment toward salvaging the ferry. That statement and Park’s remarks urging serious consideration of the ferry recovery seem to indicate that the administration favors the ferry salvage.
The ministry’s final report will be made before the end of the month. A final decision could take a few months to reach. In reaching the final decision, the government must try to form a public consensus so that the issue will not create a lasting fissure.
