THE KUKMIN DAILY

On April 15, the day before the first anniversary of the Sewol Ferry tragedy, Korean Diakonia (moderator: Rev. Kim Sam-hwan), the Jindo-gun Church Council, and several other organizations held a joint prayer gathering at Paengmok Port in Jindo-gun, Jeollanam-do. The participants, numbering more than 200, prayed in memory of the victims and offered consolation to the bereaved families. They expressed their deep regret over the churches’ failure to perform their role as apostles of peace and mediation, even as conflicts continue, particularly over the ordinances needed to execute the Sewol Special Law, and the salvaging of the sunken ferry.

In his sermon “Truth, Rise up!” (photo), Rev. Chae Yeong-nam (vice-moderator, the Presbyterian Church of Korea - Tonghap) said, “Some persons, for political or unethical reasons, regard the Sewol disaster as the ‘already dead past.’ But history always reveals the truth, against all efforts to conceal it. Following the resurrected Jesus, who won over the power of death, the Korean church must always stand in solidarity with those who are weeping on this earth, so that all suspicions are dealt with clearly and the families of the victims are comforted.” (Photo by intern reporter Heo Ran, from Jindo)


[At the prayer gathering at Paengmok Port, believers pray for the victims, the bereaved families, and the safety of the nation and citizens.] (Photo by reporter Kim Ji-hun, from Jindo)




(Photo by senior reporter Kang Min Seok, from Ansan)

Ansan Jeil Church (Rev. Ko Hun) in Danwon-gu, Ansan, the home area of most of the Sewol disaster victims, was the setting of a “Remembrance Prayer Gathering on the First Anniversary of the Sewol Ferry Disaster” (photo). The Gyeonggi-do Christian Council (representative president: Rev. Kang Yeong-seon) and Ansan Christian Council (president: Rev. Lee Su-bu) organized the gathering, and 3,000 believers and church leaders and politicians participated, including Gyeonggi-do Governor Nam Gyeong-pil and Gyeonggi-do Assembly Moderator Kang Deuk-gu.

Rev. Yu Man-seok of Suwon Myungsung Church delivered the sermon, titled “The Tears We Are to Shed (Romans 12:14-15),” urging, “Now we need to return to the basics. If each of us takes up our special calling in our given place, we all can live in a beautiful, safe country with no more disasters like this one.”

The Gyeonggi-do Christian Council also announced a statement pressing for immediate truth-finding, and issued a list of 10 safety guidelines for citizens.


Reporters Lee Saya & Yeong Dae Yoo (Isaiah@kmib.co.kr), from Jindo & Ansan, with Yeara Ahn-Park (yap@kmib.co.kr)


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