(VOVworld) - President of the Republic of Korea Park Geun-Hye has stressed that the actions of the captain and some crew members of the sunken Sewol ferry 5 days ago, with 476 passengers on board, were utterly unacceptable and tantamount to a murder.

The hull of the ferry 'Sewol' can be seen above the water. (Photo: Reuters)

In talks with senior assistants on Monday, the President expressed her anger towards captain Lee Joon-Seok who delayed the urgent evacuation of passengers when the ferry started sinking and abandoned people who needed to escape first. The Presidential office continued quoting her saying that everyone concerned, the ferry’s owners, safety staff, and crew members, would have to undergo investigations and face punishment if found guilty.