South Korea’s Prime Minister announced his resignation Sunday morning, taking responsibility for the slow initial response to a ferry’s sinking that has left nearly 200 dead with scores more still missing.Chung Hong-won began his announcement with a mournful prelude filled with anguish.
“It has been more than 10 days since the sinking accident occurred, but the cries from the family members who still not have found their missing keep me from sleeping at night. I bow my head and express my condolences to the victims’ portraits of this accident. I apologize deeply to the bereaving families, and I pray for a quick recovery from the hurt of a slow recovery.During the search process, the government took inadequate measures and disappointed the public. I should take responsibility for everything as the prime minister, but the government can assume no more. So I will resign as prime minister.”
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p class=”cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph7″ style=”color:#000000;”>Eleven after, searchers are still looking for passengers and crew aboard the Sewol ferry. They have retrieved 188 bodies so far, with another 114 still missing. A day earlier, divers found the bodies of 48 girls wearing their life jackets pressed into a room too small for so many people. Divers believe that they will face the same scene again. There may be a second, similar room, where 50 more girls are believed to have been trapped when the ferry rolled over.