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Fact check

Is it true: South Korea Sewol Ferry 2014: Cover-Up of Government Response Failures?

Partially True78% confidence

Partly — it's more complicated than the claim suggests.

The MV Sewol sinking on April 16, 2014, killing 304 people — 250 of them high school students — has documented causes: cargo overloaded 3x legal limit, illegal modifications, crew abandonment. Captain Lee convicted of murder. The Park Geun-hye administration's seven-hour gap, disorganised rescue response, and subsequent media management pressure were confirmed by South Korea's 2017 Special Investigation Commission and formed part of the pattern documented in Park's impeachment proceedings. The claim of deliberate sinking by the Park government is not supported by evidence in any judicial or commission finding.

The claim

On April 16, 2014, the MV Sewol capsized off Jindo Island, South Korea, killing 304 people — 250 of them high school students from Danwon High School on a class trip to Jeju Island. The immediate caus

Key evidence

KMST confirmed cargo 3x legal limit and illegal vessel modifications

No evidence supports deliberate sinking by Park administration

Read the full evidence file

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