A bi-partisan commission created to investigate the causes of the Sewol sinking (as well as a second previous tragedy) released its findings in September of 2022, in Korean. It was called The Social Disasters Commission and it was started under the administration of President Moon Jae-in and completed early in the term of President Yoon Suk-yeol. Family members who had hoped it would determine a cause were disappointed — members of the commission were unable to determine why the ship sank, hypothesizing that, while unlikely, an external shock such as a collision could not be ruled out.
The report sheds light on the actions of the Park administration in the aftermath of the sinking, revealing that it engaged in unlawful activities by initiating efforts to stop protests and place blame on crew members, the Coast Guard, the Yoo family and, by extension, members of the Evangelical Baptist Church.
SewolFacts.com will translate the relevant portions of the report and publish them here in English on a rolling basis. The first translations appear below. Check back for updates.
