[세월호 12주기 특집] 의인들 향한 ‘국가폭력’, 현재 진행 중...‘구조 헌신’ 민간 잠수사 이야기

Twelve years ago, there were 25 civilian divers who voluntarily rushed to the scene of the Sewol Ferry disaster recovery. For about three months, they participated in search operations alongside the military and police, returning 292 victims to their families. However, what these individuals, who voluntarily threw themselves into a national disaster, subsequently faced was "state violence" committed thoughtlessly. In 2023, during the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, the Korea Coast Guard (KOGAS) changed its guidelines for paying medical expenses to civilian divers. The revised guidelines stipulated that medical costs would be paid only for "diseases confirmed to be linked" to the Sewol Ferry recovery activities, subject to a review process. The burden of proving this link was entirely shifted onto these heroes. Ultimately, the divers found themselves in a situation where they had to prove on their own that they were "injured while doing a righteous deed." The reason for the guideline change included an expert opinion from a specialist stating that it was "difficult to understand treating decompression sickness for nine years." Underlying this is a distrust of these heroes. This KOOGAS guideline remains in effect to this day. Dr. Jung Hye-shin, a psychiatrist who was in charge of healing the trauma of the civilian divers of the Sewol Ferry disaster, states that judging by the Coast Guard's behavior, the "formal trauma" inflicted upon them due to continuing "state violence" is still ongoing. These incidents occurred even immediately after the Sewol Ferry disaster. What exactly happened? The production team traced back the chronicle of the "state violence" inflicted upon these heroes, going back 12 years. #SewolFerry #CivilianDivers #SewolFerryCivilianDivers Reporting Assistance: Office of Assemblyman Park Ju-min, Labor Attorney Lee Young-man, Association of Families of the 4.16 Sewol Ferry Disaster Video Provided by: Director Bok Jin-oh of the film [Logbook], 4.16 Solidarity Planning: Choi Seong-jin Executive Producer: Kim Do-seong Title/Subtitles: Kim Su-gyeong Cinematography: Jang Seung-ho, Moon Jun-young Directed by: Cho Seong-wook, Wi Jun-young ([email protected])