Sewol Ferry Disaster

Abstract

This chapter provides background information regarding South Koreans’ anger and frustration with the Park Geun-hye administration, which led to a series of candlelight vigils calling for her impeachment. In particular, it analyzes public sentiment surrounding President Park’s handling of the 2014 sinking of the Sewol ferry in which 250 South Korean high school students died. Prior to the revelation of the Park-Choi corruption scandal, the Sewol ferry disaster, caused by human error and poorly managed by the Park government, was the most significant event that contributed to reaching a tipping point for the impeachment movement. The Park-Choi scandal served as a trigger for public outrage, which had been simmering for several years. This chapter analyzes how outrage and embarrassment spread in the information ecosystem at that time and served to motivate people to participate in the impeachment vigils.