South Korea’s prime minister offers to resign over ferry disaster

Associated Press / Fox News ^ | April 26 | Staff

[PghBaldy]

SEOUL, South Korea – South Korea's prime minister offered to resign Sunday over the government's handling of a deadly ferry sinking, blaming "deep-rooted evils" and irregularities in a society for a tragedy that has left more than 300 people dead or missing and led to widespread shame, fury and finger-pointing.

[PghBaldy]

Why so angry at me? what the heck did I do to you?

[DManA]

What makes you think I’m angry?

[kabar]

This is what true leaders do. Clinton didn’t do the honorable thing and resign over the Monica tryst. Hillary didn’t resign over Benghazi. Sibelius didn’t resign over the Obamacare website debacle. The list can go on and on. In Korea and Japan, there is also the cultural aspect. It has to do with honor and shame.

[GeronL]

I hope she doesn’t resign, it’s not like this is her fault

[GeronL]

If the crew ordered people to stay below while they abandoned ship, they should be charged

[PghBaldy]

Forget it.

[GATOR NAVY]

The Vice-Principal of the school that organized the field trip for those hundreds of students also committed suicide afterwards.

I spent enough time in Asia to not be surprised by his actions, but not enough time to totally understand. What a tragedy.

[OldNewYork]

Agree. I’m reminded of the Korean apology for a Korean-American shooting, and, in contrast, of Janet Reno’s ‘apology’ for Waco.

[Vaquero]

She wasn’t responsible for the accident. Makes no sense. Just like they’re arresting 15 crew members even though it wasn’t their fault. It’s the captain and whomever his immediate underlings’ fault for not being at the helm as required.

As zer0 is visiting the Korean PM felt it was important to think “what would zer0 do?....apologize for everything your country does....yeah that's the ticket”

[MeshugeMikey]

Folks if we had a ferry disaster Id DO the Same Thing

[doug from upland]

San Francisco mayor offers to resign over fairy disaster.

[BradyLS]

She wasn’t responsible for the accident. Makes no sense. Just like they’re arresting 15 crew members even though it wasn’t their fault. It’s the captain and whomever his immediate underlings’ fault for not being at the helm as required.

To paraphrase a movie line: "Jake, it's South Korea."

[BradyLS]

A head of state resigning over a ferry disaster... What can a ferry cost? A few lives and $50 million or so?

What would a head of state do if it was thousands of lives and $Trillions, like a 0’care disaster?

Aw, c'mon. You know the answer to that!

You double-down!

[BradyLS]

It's a Confucian act. When disaster befalls the group, the head figure is expected to take full responsibility, because the head figure (ruler of the country, CEO of the business, principal of the school, father/grandfather of the home, etc.) has responsibility for the well-being of all those underneath him--or in this case, her.

For example, in 1985, the CEO of JAL resigned the day after an airplane disaster killed 550+ passengers on a jumbo jet, even though he had nothing to do with the crash. If he had been a samurai in the Edo era, he would have disemboweled himself.

Great point. Worth repeating!

[USAF80]

The JAL maintenance chief also committed suicide.

[cherokee1]

They are arresting crew members who left the boat before finishing their jobs evacuating and/or releasing life boats. Goes with the job and captain or no captain, sometimes you ( crewmen) have to step up. They all need to be kept under lock and key until all the details are known especially since one doofus already harikerried himself.

[losinmyreligion]

Even in South Korea, someone has to pay politically for those
deaths

[Vanders9]

What for? Its not her fault surely...

[exDemMom]

That is awful.

[Opinionated Blowhard]

While this is refreshing given how American politicians do everything they can to avoid responsibility, I agree that it goes too far. The prime minister is not responsible for a single ferry disaster no matter how many people died. Even in view of the Korean culture of honor and accepting responsibility, I don’t understand this. It’s like taking responsibility for an earthquake or hurricane killing people.