South Korean Prime Minister Chung Hong-won resigns

South Korean Prime Minister Chung Hong-won bows during of a press conference in Seoul this morning where he announced his intent to resign over the Sewol ferry sinking
South Korea's prime minister has resigned over the government's handling of a ferry sinking that left more than 300 people dead or missing.
Chung Hong-won's resignation comes amid rising indignation over claims by the victims' relatives that the government did not do enough to rescue or protect their loved ones. Most of the dead and missing were high school students on a school trip.
A spokesman said President Park Geun-hye would accept the resignation, but did not say when Mr Chung would leave office.
South Korean executive power is largely concentrated in the president, Park Geun-hye, so the resignation appears to be largely symbolic.

South Korean Buddhist monks carry lanterns in a parade for cherishing the memory of deceased persons and safe return of passengers aboard the sunken ferry boat Sewol during the Lotus Lantern Festival for upcoming birthday of Buddha on May 6, on a street in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, April 26, 2014

South Korean Buddhist monks carry lanterns in a parade for cherishing the memory of deceased persons and safe return of passengers aboard the sunken ferry boat Sewol during the Lotus Lantern Festival for upcoming birthday of Buddha on May 6, on a street in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, April 26, 2014

South Korean Buddhists put candles to form the words meaing "Together" for cherishing the memory of deceased persons and safe return of passengers aboard the sunken ferry boat Sewol during the Lotus Lantern Festival for upcoming birthday of Buddha on May 6, 2014 on a street in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, April 26, 2014.

Note

Officials have taken into custody all 15 people involved in navigating the ferry Sewol, which sank April 16,2014. A prosecutor revealed that investigators were also looking into communications made as the ship sank between a crew member and the company that owns the ferry.

Yang Jung-jin of the joint investigation team said two helmsmen and two members of the steering crew were taken in on preliminary arrest warrants issued late Friday. Formal arrest warrants were issued Saturday night. Eleven other crew members, including the captain, had been formally arrested earlier.All are accused of negligence and of failing to help passengers in need as the ferry Sewol sank.

Divers have recovered 187 bodies and 115 people are believed to be missing, though the government-wide emergency task force has said the ship's passengers list could be inaccurate. Only 174 people survived, including 22 of the 29 crew members.

 

The seven surviving crew members who have not been arrested or detained held non-marine jobs such as chef or steward