Korea Sewol ferry disaster protesters clash with South Korean police over government response

Korea Sewol ferry disaster protesters clash with South Korean police over government response
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-19/protesters-clash-south-korean-poli...

Sewol ferry disaster protesters clash with South Korean police over government response

Updated Sun at 11:48am

Photo: Police and protesters clashed after families of those killed in the ferry disaster were prevented from marching to the president's residence. (AFP: Jung Yeon-je)
Related Story: S Korean president vows Sewol ferry raising as relatives mark first anniversary
Related Story: South Korean families mourn on first anniversary of ferry tragedy
Map: Korea, Republic Of
South Korean police have clashed with thousands of protesters, blocking their way to the presidential palace where they hoped to press for more government action in response to a ferry disaster that claimed more than 300 lives a year ago.

About 13,000 police and 470 police buses were deployed in the area around Seoul's main ceremonial thoroughfare and 100 protesters were arrested, an official of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said.

The rally was organised by a group representing families of the victims.

It was the largest in recent weeks as the country marked the first anniversary of the April 16 disaster, which claimed 304 lives.

Police said they used buses to barricade marchers' route to the presidential Blue House, and deployed water cannons and pepper spray. Several police buses were damaged.

A fire department official said nine protesters and three police officers were taken to hospital while three protesters received first aid at the site.

Photo: The crowd demanded the government allow an independent inquiry into the Sewol ferry disaster. (Supplied: Nathan Waters)
The rally began at noon on Saturday with a crowd demanding the government allow an independent inquiry into the disaster and make an immediate decision to raise the Sewol ferry.

The ferry was on a routine journey from Incheon to the southern island of Jeju when it capsized making a sharp turn and sank. Among those killed were 250 students on a class trip.

The vessel was later found to have been structurally unsound and overloaded with cargo.

Anger among the families of the victims towards the government still runs high.

They say the government let them down again this week by failing to announce a plan to raise the ferry by the first anniversary of the disaster.

President Park Geun-hye said last week the government would begin preparing to raise the 6,800-tonne ship, her clearest indication yet of a plan to recover it.

The country's umbrella labour federation joined the rally and vowed to join forces with victims' families to continue protests, calling for more rallies next weekend, according to a federation spokesman at the protest.

Photo: The president indicated efforts will be made to raise the 68,000 tonne ship. (Supplied: Nathan