On the 8th, the Seoul city government announced that it is proactively reviewing a reduction in the six-month operational suspension imposed on Hyundai Marine Leisure's cruise ship. This comes eight days after notifying the company of such sanctions on Dec. 31.
Previously, Hyundai Marine Leisure conducted a fireworks event on a cruise ship operating near the Han River at 6:30 p.m. on the 29th. On the same day at 2:20 p.m., the Seoul city government requested the event be canceled, considering the national mood of mourning following the Jeju Air passenger plane accident at Muan International Airport in Jeollanam-do, but the event proceeded as planned.
At that time, Hyundai Marine Leisure reportedly replied to the Seoul city government that it was difficult to unilaterally cancel the event as foreign tourists had already made reservations.
In response, the Seoul city government stated on the 30th that it is considering strong administrative measures, and on the 31st, it informed Hyundai Marine Leisure of a six-month operational suspension for the river section within the city limits.
However, after this action by the Seoul city government, some citizens expressed that the decision was excessive. They noted it was before the government had declared a national mourning period after the disaster, and that potential losses incurred from unilaterally canceling a paid event should also be taken into account. Additionally, it was mentioned that a six-month operational suspension is akin to a declaration of bankruptcy due to the nature of the tourism industry.
A Seoul city official said, "We were discussing lowering the level of the sanctions, considering that the cruise company issued an immediate apology and has consistently engaged in social contribution activities," adding, "We plan to assess and weigh public sentiment against business losses for subsequent measures, including a reduction of penalties."