Lee Jae-myung, former leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, noted that he would enhance the national safety management system ahead of the Sewol Ferry memorial service. He also emphasized that he would strengthen recovery and compensation efforts by reflecting the opinions of bereaved families regarding national disasters.
The former leader wrote on Facebook on the 16th, "I will create a truly safe and secure Republic of Korea," adding, "The Sewol Ferry disaster still asks, 'What is a nation?' and 'Why does a nation exist?'."
The former leader stated, "The Sewol Ferry disaster that occurred 11 years ago today was not just one incident where 304 lives were sacrificed, but rather 304 separate tragedies in which we lost 304 precious family members and neighbors," and added, "I believed the state would naturally protect the people, but that trust has been shattered."
He continued, "However, major disasters that the state has failed to take responsibility for, such as the Itaewon disaster, the Osong underground tunnel disaster, and the Jeju Air disaster, are ongoing," stating, "It is the state's responsibility to protect the lives and safety of the people. I will restore this responsibility."
The former leader emphasized that he would enhance the national safety management system and thoroughly examine disaster and calamity prevention and response.
He stated, "I will restore the presidential office as the control tower for national safety disaster and safety management and specify the state's safety obligations in law," adding, "I will strengthen on-site disaster command authority and establish a governance framework for public participation in safety."
He added, "I will strengthen recovery and compensation efforts. I will systemically reflect the voices of bereaved families and enhance disaster compensation for significant damages," expressing, "I offer my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families who are still unable to fully cope with their grief of loss."
The former leader will attend the Sewol Ferry 11th anniversary memorial service held at 3 p.m. at Hwarang Recreational Forest in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province. In addition to the former leader, the memorial service will also see appearances from Kim Kyeong-soo, a former governor of South Gyeongsang Province and candidate for the 21st presidential election, and Kim Dong-yeon, the governor of Gyeonggi Province.