Lee Joon-seok, the captain of the South Korean Ferry Sewol that sank last month, has been charged with murder and if convicted could face the death penalty. Three other crew members – the chief engineer, Park Gi-ho, and his first and second mates, Kang Won-sik and Kim Young-ho – have also been charged with murder and likewise face the death penalty under South Korean law. Given that the death penalty has not been imposed in South Korea in nearly 20 years, it is unclear how likely it is that the captain and three crew members will be executed by the state. However, the sinking of the Sewol resulted in a particularly high death toll, with well over half of the ship’s passengers perishing as a result of the ship disaster. Nearly 300 passengers have been confirmed dead, and another 20 are still missing, presumed dead long ago. Most of the passengers on board were high school students on a field trip.
Read more […]
