Seoul, April 29 (IANS): South Korean President Park Geun-hye made an official apology for the ferry sinking disaster Tuesday.
The apology came 13 days after the passenger ship Sewol capsized off the country's southwestern coast April 16, killing over 180 people, most of them high school students who were on a field trip. More than 110 others still missing. Xinhua reported.
Park said during a cabinet meeting that she was "sorry to the people and heavy hearted that many precious lives were lost".
It was her fifth official apology to the people since she took office in February last year, which came just two weeks after she apologised for evidence fabrication incident linked to spy agents.
There were 476 people on board the Sewol, with many trapped inside as the ferry listed and sank within two hours of distress signals being sent. A total of 174 passengers were rescued.
The government came under fierce criticism over the disaster, and its ineffective handing of the rescue operation, which began over two hours after the first distress calls went.