Trauma of Sewol Ferry Civilian Divers: 10 Years Since the Disaster

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A continuous project by MBC News Desk to shed light on the 10 years since the Sewol Ferry disaster and create a safer Republic of Korea.

Today, we shed light on the reality of civilian divers who are suffering from the trauma of the disaster but are not included among the ‘Sewol Ferry victims’.

The Sewol Ferry Victim Support Act also expires on the 16th, the 10th anniversary of the disaster.

Reporter Song Seo-young covered the story.

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[김상우/세월호 민간잠수사]

“hello. “I am Kim Sang-woo, a diver from the April 16 Private Diving Society.”

He was one of about 20 civilian divers who worked to retrieve the bodies at the time of the disaster.

It’s already been 10 years, but I still have trouble falling asleep at night.

It’s because of anger and sadness.

[김상우/세월호 민간잠수사]

“I tried to forget a lot of those moments in the water when we were looking for that victim. But I couldn’t forget it. And I can’t forget it.”

This is despite the fact that I have been receiving treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder for several years.

In 2016, private diver Kim Kwan-hong, who suffered from chronic illness and hardships in life, passed away.

[고 김관홍/세월호 민간잠수사(생전 인터뷰)]

″If the children who could have been saved had been saved, there wouldn’t have been a need for people like us… If only I could get it right… ″

However, these civilian divers are not considered ‘disaster victims’.

At that time, I was sent to the scene as a volunteer, and a separate bill to support treatment for divers had already been prepared before that.

So currently, in order for divers to receive treatment support, they must have their connection to the disaster certified by a doctor each time.

[김상우/세월호 민간잠수사]

″If I go to the hospital now, how do I know if the doctor is the diver I went to during the Sewol Ferry disaster? “It’s a bit frustrating to hear that they just ask us to use it, as if we’re begging for it.”

So some divers have given up on treatment.

[공우영/세월호 민간잠수사]

″If the rescue had been done properly, many people could have been saved… “I used to go to the hospital because of trauma, but I’m not going there now.”

At least, trauma treatment support for the families and survivors of the disaster, including Sewol Ferry victims, will end tomorrow (15th).

Last year, a bill was proposed to abolish the deadline for support, but it is virtually difficult to pass the bill within the term of the 21st National Assembly.

[심민영/국립정신건강센터 국가트라우마센터장]

″In fact, 10 years is a very artificial number that we have nailed down. Because there are great differences in the situations and degrees of recovery after a disaster, it is not appropriate to provide uniform standards for support.”

There are still objections that “a lot of support has already been provided” and “the state’s responsibility is not clear enough to provide permanent support,” so it appears that we will have to wait and see discussions in the 22nd new National Assembly to determine whether support will continue.

This is Song Seo-young from MBC News.

Video reporting: Jiyoon Son / Video editing: Seonwoo Jeong