Dear editor,
I have become increasingly angry by what recently happened; two plainclothes policemen had dogged the bereaved families without any agreement until they were spotted.
It appears that the authorities of the Korean police think that they are above the law and don't know that no one should be put under surveillance without due process of law. If not, how on earth could such an inconsiderate incident happen?
I couldn't agree with your May 15 editorial entitled "2 faces of government" more. The bereaved families, whose sons and daughters left them forever, have already gone through intolerable shock and emotional stress after the Sewol ferry disaster.
No one is able to properly express how excruciating their agony is. Because of this, any activities related to them performed by governmental organizations should have been carried out with the utmost prudence. However, the police's imprudent activities simply rubbed salt into the uncured wounds of the bereaved families. It was inconsiderate at best, and regrettable indeed at worst.
Also deplorable is what the police did over the weekend. More than 200 citizens were arrested by the police under the pretext of an unlawful rally in which some political groups tried to exploit the ferry disaster.
As The Korea Times editorial pointed out, in a democratic country, it is no surprise that the slogan "down with the government" can be often heard in an assembly point. It's far beyond my comprehension that victim-commemorating ceremonies could be viewed as illegal protest, and that those who poured out onto the streets to call for a thorough investigation into the disaster were dealt with such a harsh manner.
Recounting the names of those passing away in the accident, President Park broke down in tears. She said she would disband the Coast Guard and promised to spare no expense in supporting those still in grief.
She even went so far as to propose a new blueprint under which administrative organizations will be revamped to firm up public safety. I welcome what she has planned out. On the other hand, however, I cannot help but cast doubts upon the double-faced government's authenticity; few, if any, would disagree with me, considering a series of incidents that have happened after the ferry disaster, which make Park's public address sound hollow. I sincerely hope its true faces are not the same as the police's improper handling of the public.
I have become increasingly angry by what recently happened; two plainclothes policemen had dogged the bereaved families without any agreement until they were spotted.
It appears that the authorities of the Korean police think that they are above the law and don't know that no one should be put under surveillance without due process of law. If not, how on earth could such an inconsiderate incident happen?
I couldn't agree with your May 15 editorial entitled "2 faces of government" more. The bereaved families, whose sons and daughters left them forever, have already gone through intolerable shock and emotional stress after the Sewol ferry disaster.
No one is able to properly express how excruciating their agony is. Because of this, any activities related to them performed by governmental organizations should have been carried out with the utmost prudence. However, the police's imprudent activities simply rubbed salt into the uncured wounds of the bereaved families. It was inconsiderate at best, and regrettable indeed at worst.
Also deplorable is what the police did over the weekend. More than 200 citizens were arrested by the police under the pretext of an unlawful rally in which some political groups tried to exploit the ferry disaster.
As The Korea Times editorial pointed out, in a democratic country, it is no surprise that the slogan "down with the government" can be often heard in an assembly point. It's far beyond my comprehension that victim-commemorating ceremonies could be viewed as illegal protest, and that those who poured out onto the streets to call for a thorough investigation into the disaster were dealt with such a harsh manner.
Recounting the names of those passing away in the accident, President Park broke down in tears. She said she would disband the Coast Guard and promised to spare no expense in supporting those still in grief.
She even went so far as to propose a new blueprint under which administrative organizations will be revamped to firm up public safety. I welcome what she has planned out. On the other hand, however, I cannot help but cast doubts upon the double-faced government's authenticity; few, if any, would disagree with me, considering a series of incidents that have happened after the ferry disaster, which make Park's public address sound hollow. I sincerely hope its true faces are not the same as the police's improper handling of the public.
Yoon Joo-seong
Student at Chungnam National University
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