Seoul, April 17 (IANS): South Korean President Park Geun-hye promised on Thursday to retrieve the ferry, which capsized last year killing over 300 people, and recover the nine bodies still missing.

She made the announcement on the first anniversary of the tragedy when the ferry "Sewol" sank, killing 304 passengers on board, according to Spanish news agency EFE.

"I have a heavy heart and my heart aches to think how painful it is for the family members," she said at Jindo Island, which is close to the site where the ferry sank on April 16, 2014.

The families of the victims boycotted the Jindo memorial service in protest, as they accuse the government of attempting to avoid an independent inquiry into the accident, and suspect that Park will fail to keep her promises, an issue that has sparked national debates and protests in recent weeks.

In the city of Ansan, home to the 250 students who lost their lives in the accident, a group of family members protested the memorial service.

Approximately 300 ceremonies to honour the victims had been planned for the day across the country, according to government data.