Across the South Korean capital, Seoul, spring festivities have been put on hold out of respect to the victims of the Sewol ferry disaster and their families.

Instead of celebrating a season associated with renewal and rebirth, Seoul residents from many walks of life said on Tuesday they found it far more appropriate to join together in mourning.

In light of the tragedy, Seoul National University student council decided to postpone their spring festival scheduled for May, after their midterm exams.

The Sheraton Grande Walkerhill Hotel has cancelled its "signature events", like wine and beer fairs, in recognition of the national mourning which has so many South Koreans in its thrall.

Kim Hong-hee, director of the Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA), said the museum has chosen not to go ahead with a number of events in its spring schedule.

"We thought that in this current nationwide atmosphere of mourning, for the Sewol ferry sinking, such events were a little inappropriate," she said.

Nearly a week has passed since the Sewol ferry sank off South Korea's southern coast on 16 April.

The confirmed death toll from the disaster reached 113 on Tuesday, officials said, and about 190 people were still missing, thought to be trapped underwater inside the sunken vessel.

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1. Wide of memorial for the victims of the Sewol ferry accident outside the student union building at Seoul National University (SNU)

2. Tilt of poster announcing that the student council has unanimously voted to cancel the upcoming spring festival, reads (Korean): "Announcement to the students of Seoul National University regarding the Sewol incident by the Student Council"

3. Mid of SNU students in front of the memorial wall covered in ribbons

4. Various of student writing a message on a ribbon

5. Pull out of pink ribbon reading (Korean): "Hoping for a miracle" to students pinning ribbons

6. Mid of SNU Student Council President Yi Kyoung-hwan

7. Close of Student Council meeting agenda notes (number four is on the discussion of cancelling the spring festival)

8. SOUNDBITE (Korean) Yi Kyoung-hwan, 27, Student Council President at Seoul National University:

"When taking into consideration the (current) sentiment of South Koreans, outside of classes, there is a strong element of having fun in holding a festival. In light of this current, extremely tragic disaster, the students preparing the festival could not focus on the festival in a cheerful way. So the student council held a meeting and decided to cancel the festival."

9. Pan from poster reading (Korean): "We sincerely wish the safe return of the missing passengers on the Sewol, from the 56th SNU student council" to student writing a message by the memorial wall

10. Close of pink ribbon reading (Korean): "I will be praying for your safety"

11. SOUNDBITE (Korean) Jeong Jun-ho, 23, Seoul National University student:

"Many people were hurt in Jindo because of the (Sewol ferry) accident, and even now they are looking for the missing (passengers). Even though it's important for us students to have fun and really enjoy the festival, I personally think that it's a good thing to cancel the festival, so that we can grieve and mourn together."

12. Tilt of Sheraton Grande Walkerhill Hotel exterior

13. Close of the Sheraton Grande Walkerhill Hotel logo

14. Mid of Kim Do-young, Operations Management Director at Sheraton Grande Walkerhill Hotel

15. SOUNDBITE (Korean) Kim Do-young, Operations Management Director at Sheraton Grande Walkerhill Hotel:

"This incident, regarding the Sewol Ferry, has led to an atmosphere of mourning across the nation. At our hotel, the Sheraton Grande Walkerhill, we also want to take part in this by temporarily postponing our signature events, such as our wine fair or beer fair."

16. Wide of Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA) exterior

17. Close of "Seoul Museum of Art" sign

18. Mid of Kim Hong-hee, director of SeMA in office

19. SOUNDBITE (Korean) Kim Hong-hee, director of the Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA):

"It's spring. There are a lot of events in spring, and at events where many people gather, it turns into a festive atmosphere. We thought that in this current nationwide atmosphere of mourning, for the Sewol ferry sinking, such events were a little inappropriate."

20. Mid of museum exhibition posters

21. Various of woman taking photo of friend in front of the museum