SEOUL, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Memorial ceremonies were being on Monday across South Korea to mark the 1,000th day of the country's worst ferry-sinking disaster which claimed over 300 lives.
On April 16, 2014, the passenger ferry Sewol capsized off the country's southwestern island of Jindo, killing 295 people, mostly high school students on a school trip to the southern resort island of Jeju, and 9 still unaccounted for.
The association to oust impeached President Park Geun-hye launched its memorial event at 4:16 p.m. local time (0716 GMT) at a harbor near the site where the ferry capsized and sank, according to local media reports.
The Park administration has been under fire for its initial bungling of rescue operations, which critics claimed has increased the number of deaths.
Park is suspected of having vacated her seat on the day when the country's worst maritime disaster occurred. The suspicion was cited as one of the reasons for the impeachment motion, which was passed in the parliament by an overwhelming majority on Dec. 9.
Ceremonies to cherish the memory of the deceased, including various types of cultural events, will be held across the country.
Many South Koreans expressed deep grief and sorrow for the deceased on the internet, leaving condolence messages for the bereaved families.
