AP TELEVISION

Ansan - 24 April 2014

1. Wide of yellow ribbons outside Danwon High School, where a majority of Sewol ferry passengers were from

2. Close-up of yellow ribbons

3. Medium of yellow ribbons on main gate of Danwon High School

Seoul - 24 April 2014

4. Medium of yellow ribbons in downtown Seoul

5. Medium South Koreans writing message on ribbons by Cheonggye stream

6. Close-up of woman's hand writing message on ribbon

7. Close-up and zoom-out of yellow ribbon being tied

8. SOUNDBITE (Korean) Yang Hee-soo, 49, office worker:

"(The passengers on the ferry) must be very scared and cold and suffering, but (I hung the ribbon) in the hope that they will forget it quickly and be in peace."

9. SOUNDBITE (Korean) Yang Dong-yoon, 54, banker

"As a South Korean citizen, because I could not prevent the deaths of such young students and great teachers, I hung that yellow ribbon with a very heavy heart."

10. Medium reverse shot of a woman tying a ribbon

11. Close-up of various yellow ribbons with messages such as: (Korean) "Return in peace" and "Sorry" and "I love you"

12. Medium of Lee Min-joo, member of the student group that began the yellow ribbon campaign

13. SOUNDBITE (Korean) Lee Min-joo, member of group which began yellow ribbon campaign:

"Yes, the original meaning of the yellow ribbon is the wish for a safe return. I hope that we can participate (in this campaign) in that spirit, and be a true comfort to the victims and share in their sorrow."

14. Close-up of a cell-phone showing profile pictures, which have been changed to yellow ribbon image

15. Medium of two women looking at their cell-phones

16. Close-up of yellow ribbon image shown on cell-phone screen; beneath ribbon is written: (Korean) "May one small move make a big miracle"

17. Medium of woman tying yellow ribbon

18. Wide of Cheonggye stream with string of yellow ribbons on both sides

A growing number of South Koreans are joining a "yellow ribbon" campaign, to show their support for families still waiting for news of their loved ones who were on the ferry that sank on April 16.

To ease national grief, college students are encouraging people to wear yellow ribbons, a custom borrowed from the US to express hope that the missing will return, and change their online profile pictures to include yellow ribbons to support victims.

The campaign was started by a group of around 30 university students - members of a student organisation from various campuses called "Autonomous, Alter, Active Life Together" (ALT) - and swiftly spread across the country.

"The original meaning of the yellow ribbon is the wish for a safe return," said Lee Min-joo, a member of ALT.

South Korea mourns one of its worst ever disasters, a ferry sinking off the southwestern coast near Jindo Island, that will likely result in the death of more than 300 people, most of them high school children.