Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun says painful lessons from the Sewol ferry sinking bolstered the country's resolve and ability to overcome the coronavirus crisis.
Chung made the remark on Facebook Thursday, the sixth anniversary of South Korea's worst maritime disaster.
The Sewol capsized in waters off Jindo Island on April 16, 2014, killing over 300 people, most of them high school students on a field trip.
Chung noted that the past six years have been a painful time for everyone but said society has learned to give more weight to safety and life.
Similar remarks were made by Deputy Prime Minister Yoo Eun-hae at a ceremony in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province.
She said those lessons have become the principle that the government has to protect and be responsible for the lives of the people.■
<Photo: Yonhap News>
