[CARD NEWS: Opinion] Victims of the Sewol disaster neglected by the law
1) “I’ll take care. I will go off the ferry once you go first.” - Teacher Choi Hye-jung
During the tragic moment of the Sewol ferry sinking nearly three years ago, Choi Hye-jung, a teacher at Danwon High School, was busy taking care of her students. However, she couldn't even wear a life vest.
2) “I have to put life vests on the students. I’ll hang up.”- Teacher Cheon Soo-young
Cheon answered a phone call from her mother while the ferry was sinking. Soon after, Cheon hung up to save the students. That was the very last moment for the mother to hear her daughter’s voice.
3) Even though they were just a step away from the doorway, teacher Park Yook-geun and Kim Eun-hyun did not step out but ran back inside the vessel to save a student.
4) On the day tragic day of the ferry’s sinking, 11 teachers were onboard and seven of them were recognized as “public servants who have died while on duty” in July of 2014.
5) The four teachers mentioned above are among the seven teachers whose deaths were honorably acknowledged. In March 23, the Suwon District Court ruled that the government must compensate for the deaths of these four equally as if they were soldiers or policemen who died on duty.
6) According to Korean law, bereaved families of soldiers, policemen or firefighters who died on the job are eligible for the government compensation. Even though teachers are not the subject of such compensation, the court still took into account that the four gave their lives saving the students.
7) However, the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, the administration in regard, is reluctant to abide by this ruling. The Ministry is to lodge an appeal against the judgment, as the teachers are basically not the subject of such compensation.
8) The Ministry is unwilling to be considerate of the victims being tied to the law, and this is not the only example of such deeds.
9) The late Kim Cho-won and Lee Ji-hye were also among the 11 teachers who were at the scene of tragic sinking. However, their sacrifices could not be recognized as the deaths on duty. The only reason for the denials was that they were non-regular teachers.
10) “Short-term teachers are not public educational officials. The case of the Sewol ferry cannot be the exception.” - The Ministry of Personnel Management
11) The two teachers sacrificed themselves to save the students. However, they are still being discriminated against for being non-regular workers, even after they died.
12) Of course, we cannot just blindly lash out at the government whose argument is based on the law. Fairness is another matter they must consider as well.
13) However, concerns are growing for the students who watch this entire situation unfiltered. What would the students think, as their brave teachers are marginalized by their job status?
14) The law is made by people, and it also is applied by people.
The law exists in order to sustain and realize ideal values. The government shall consider the purpose of the law before they mechanically stick to the mere letter of the law.
Directed by Lee Jeong-bong
Constructed by Kim Min-pyo
Designed by Bae Seok-yeong
Translated by Son Min-young
Edited by James Constant
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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