South Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) has paid compensation to the families of three Sewol ferry disaster victims.
The ministry announced on 27 May that KRW1.25 billion (USD1.13 million) has been paid out in the first batch of compensation for Sewol victims.
Sewol capsized during a routine Incheon-Jeju trip on 16 April 2014, leaving 304 of 476 passengers dead or missing. Nine bodies remain unrecovered.
The MOF said the decision to pay out the compensation followed discussions by a committee set up to deliberate on the payouts, and comes about two months after the victims’ families made the applications for compensation.
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The ministry added that it usually takes about a month to settle on compensation amounts, following the receipt of an application.
Besides the three victims, compensation was also agreed for 15 claims relating to cargo that was transported on Sewol, which was a ro-ro passenger ferry.
The MOF said, “One can expect that the procedures for the payment of compensation for personal damages such as this would be more flexible.
“The government will do its best to find a solution to the financial difficulties of the Sewol victims. The committee is holding deliberation sessions twice a month or more, to speed up the payment process.”
This post was sourced from IHS Maritime 360: View the original article here.
