Lee pledges utmost efforts not to repeat disaster seen in 2014 Sewol ferry sinking

▲ President Lee Jae Myung (R) speaks during a meeting with senior aides at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on April 16, 2026. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)

Lee-ferry disaster

Lee pledges utmost efforts not to repeat disaster seen in 2014 Sewol ferry sinking

By Kim Eun-jung

SEOUL, April 16 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung pledged Thursday to make utmost efforts not to repeat a disaster that was seen in the 2014 Sewol ferry sinking, expressing his mourning over the maritime disaster.

A total of 304 people, mostly teenagers on a high school trip, died when the Sewol ferry sank April 16, 2014, as the overloaded ship capsized.

"I pledge to do my utmost to ensure that the lives and safety of the people are never again threatened due to money or the absence of the state," Lee said during a meeting with senior aides.

He underscored the need for comprehensive efforts to prevent such tragedies, calling for continued support for the victims and stronger safeguards to prioritize public safety.

"We must remember the pain of the tragedy and warmly embrace the wounds of the victims, while eradicating the misguided perception that places cost above safety and profit above human life," he said.

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