South Korea conducted a nationwide emergency exercise on Friday to raise awareness about fire safety.

The Mayor of Seoul Park Won-soon, took part in the training outside Seoul City Hall, learning how to use a fire extinguisher and fire hose.

City Hall was evacuated and its employees were trained in safety fire safety and resuscitation techniques.

It was the first nationwide safety drill to be conducted since the Sewol ferry disaster in April.

AP TELEVISION

1. Various of government employees in mock evacuation of Seoul City Hall

2. Mayor of Seoul, Park Won-soon and other civil workers putting out fire with fire extinguishers

3. Close-up of Park and workers after using fire extinguisher

4. Various of Park using fire hose

5. SOUNDBITE (Korean) Song Doo-suk, Director of Civil Defence Division:

"This Civilian Defence Exercise is a nationwide fire evacuation drill, that took place after the Sewol Ferry disaster. Through this exercise, (we) hope awareness about fire safety among civilians will rise."

6. Various of man demonstrating use of fire extinguisher

7. Various of women practicing resuscitation techniques

US President Barack Obama met his South Korean counterpart in Seoul on Friday, on the second leg of his four-country Asian tour.

Obama and South Korean President Park Geun-hye held a silent prayer for the victims of the ferry disaster that sank off South Korea's southern coast over a week ago.

Obama's visit comes at a sensitive time for Park, whose attention is unavoidably split between her economic agenda with the US president and the unfolding aftermath of the tragic ferry disaster.

He flew to Seoul from Japan, a major US ally whose relationship with South Korea has deteriorated over historical resentments stemming from World War II.

After South Korea Obama will travel to Malaysia and the Philippines.

POOL

1. US President Barack Obama and South Korean President Park Geun-hye walking onto podium for welcoming ceremony

2. South Korean honour guard at ceremony

3. Obama and Park standing during ceremony

4. US delegation at ceremony

5. Various of Obama and Park inspecting honour guard

6. Various of Obama meeting South Korean foreign minister Yun Byung-se (left) and other officials

7. Obama entering meeting room for meeting with Park

8. Wide of Park and Obama beginning silent prayer for victims of ferry accident

9. Various of silent prayer

10. Various of meeting

Parents of Danwon High school students who died when a ferry sank off South Korea's southern coast gathered at Paengmok Port in Jindo on Thursday, to condemn the South Korean government for not doing more to save their children.

The parents, who arrived in buses from Ansan, where Danwon High school is located, gathered in front of a tent being used as the government situation room.

They shouted criticisms against the South Korean government for not being able to rescue any more missing passengers than the 174 passengers who were rescued on the first day.

After a short gathering they marched up and down the port, chanting their children's names and carrying various signs written in Korean condemning the government.

They ended the march by shouting out their children's names.

Two weeks after the ferry sank off South Korea's southern coast, 219 have now been confirmed dead, according to the South Korean coast guard.

AP TELEVISION

1. Wide of parents of deceased Danwon High school students gathering at Paengmok Port in Jindo

2. Various of parents shouting

3. Man facing crowd, shouting and waving fist

4. Zoom in to parents starting to march up and down the port

5. Various of parents marching with placards and chanting

6. Woman crying

7. Mid of parents marching and chanting

8. Close of sign reading: (Korean) "Why is my child in the sea when he should at school?"

9. Wide of parents shouting out their children's names

A commemorative ceremony was held in Ansan, South Korea on Sunday to mark the third anniversary of a ferry accident that killed more than 300 people.

Survivors and the families of the victims took part in the event at a group memorial altar, along with major presidential candidates.

Two weeks ago, the wreck of the ferry was finally raised and arrived at a port in Mokpo.

The Sewol ferry sank off the country's southwestern coast on 16 April 2014, killing 304 people, most of whom were students on a high school trip.

The incident touched off an outpouring of national grief and soul searching about long-ignored public safety and regulatory failures.

Ansan – 16 April 2017

1. Wide of memorial altar set up in tribute to Sewol ferry accident victims

2. Mid of incense altar and portraits of the deceased

3. Family of victim crying

4. Close of family of victim crying

5. Close of flower

6. Medium of people with flowers

7. Close of man paying silent tribute

8. Mid of incense altar and people laying down flowers

9. Close of flowers

10. Medium of incense altar with flowers

11. Pan of memorial ceremony

12. Various of family of victims crying

13. Jeon Myung-sun, father of Sewol victim Chan-ho, entering podium

14. SOUNDBITE (Korean) Jeon Myung-sun, father of Sewol victim Jeon Chan-ho:

"Even in the process of salvaging Sewol ferry and investigating the hull, the government and the oceans and fisheries ministry still hold and wield power. The central government is still forcing us to stay still. Families of the victims who had to send away 304 victims and the nation's people who watched live the Sewol Ferry accident cannot stay still. We have to bring back the victims who have not returned yet, and start a thorough investigation (on the accident)."

15. Various of choir

16. Close of placard reading: (Korean) "victims of Sewol Ferry accident, leave the painful sea and rest in peace"

17. Wide of memorial ceremony

South Korea's central bank cut its key interest rate for the first time in 15 months on Thursday, providing support to an economy dragged down by the shock of a ferry sinking that killed hundreds of teenagers.

The Bank of Korea lowered its policy rate by a quarter percentage point to 2.25 percent.

The bank had kept it unchanged since a rate cut in May 2013.

Analysts had predicted the bank to lower borrowing costs to boost consumer spending, which turned negative due to the shock of the Sewol ferry disaster earlier this year.

Last month, the bank cut this year's growth forecast for Asia's fourth-largest economy to 3.8 percent from 4.0 percent.

Weak domestic spending has been a source of concern.

South Korea's new finance minister unveiled stimulus measures in July to encourage spending by consumers and companies.

The bank was expected to aid the government's stimulus moves as low inflationary pressure gives room for easing.

The sinking in April of the Sewol ferry killed 294 people and left 10 missing, mostly teenagers on a school trip, causing a national outpouring of grief.

Consumer spending shrank in the April-June quarter, hitting its lowest in nearly three years.

1. Bank of Korea governor Lee Ju-yeol chairing monthly monetary policy meeting

2. Lee bangs gavel at start of meeting

3. Various of meeting

4. Lee walking into media briefing room

5. Tilt up of Bank of Korea sign to Lee speaking during briefing

6. SOUNDBITE (Korean) Lee Ju-yeol, Governor of Bank of Korea:

"Today, at the Bank of Korea monetary policy meeting, a monetary policy has been adapted to lower the base interest rate from 2.50 percent to 2.25 percent."

7. Cutaway

8. SOUNDBITE (Korean) Lee Ju-yeol, Governor of Bank of Korea:

"The economic recovery of the US has been on the rise. However, in the European areas, economic recovery continues to show a weakened presence. In the case of newly emerged markets: in China, the flow of economic recovery has continued, but in some nations the economic activity has been in a continual slump, so differences by country have appeared. In the international stock market, because of the influence of geopolitical risks, interest rates and stock prices have fallen, the US dollar has strengthened, and there has been an increase in fluctuation."

9. Wide of Lee giving briefing

Thousands of South Koreans marched in Seoul for the second straight day on Saturday to protest against government labour policies and the handling of a ferry disaster that killed more than 300 people a year ago.

The protesters marched towards Gwanghwamun Square, where the altar for the victims of the ferry disaster is located and they laid flowers on it.

The demonstrators also criticised the South Korean president for her reluctance to accept a more thorough investigation into the sinking.

Although the government has recently announced its plan to salvage the ferry, the family members expressed their doubt because they believe the government has been delaying the salvage process.

The Sewol Ferry Incident took place in April 2014. The ferry was en route to Jeju Island, and it was carrying 476 passengers.

A total of 304 people among 476 passengers died when the ferry sank. 250 of them were students from Danwon High School in Ansan, who were on their way to their first field trip as high school students.

AP TELEVISION

Seoul - 25 April 2015

1. Various of protesters marching against government labour policies and the handling of a ferry disaster that killed more than 300 people a year ago

2. Pan of the memorial altar for the ferry disaster victims

4. Pictures of some of the ferry disaster victims

5. Woman laying a flower on the altar

6. Close of incense on the altar

7. People laying flowers on the altar

8. Wide of participants in the rally

9. Ferry victims' families shouting the slogan (Korean): "Discard the ordinance"

10. Protesters shouting the slogan (Korean): "Salve the truth"

11. SOUNDBITE (Korean) Jun In-suk, mother of victim Lim Kyung-bin:

"(South Korean government) announced it will salvage the ferry and emphasised: 'We(the government) will salvage it really well'. It has been already one year (since the accident happened) and the government has only announced the decision but has not salvaged the ferry yet. We (the families of the victims) have been told lies for more than a year and still the government has not carried out its promise so we should keep doing it (urging the government to do its best) till the government does its work. The salvage is done only when the ferry is raised. Until that moment, we will keep raising our voices."

++NIGHT SHOTS++

12. Various of participants at demonstration singing and dancing

13. Protesters performing a commemorate song

14. Protester holding candle

15. Various of protesters holding candles and phone lights at the rally

17. Wide of demonstration

Surviving students of the Sewol ferry disaster on Wednesday attended a memorial service for classmates who died after the passenger ferry sank off the coast of South Korea.

Wearing white shirts and yellow ribbons - which became a symbol hope during the tragedy - the survivors grieved openly as they passed a wall of flowers on display for their classmates at a memorial in Ansan, a city near Seoul.

Students from Ansan's Danwon High School made up more than 80 percent of the dead and missing; they had been on their way to the southern tourist island of Jeju.

The director of the hospital where survivors were treated said those discharged on Wednesday showed no signs of serious symptoms but would be monitored on an ongoing basis.

In Jindo, meanwhile, the prime minister met experts to reassess the situation and to "reflect once again on whether there may be improvements or new approaches to be made".

Chung Hong-won offered his resignation over the government's handling of the sinking on Sunday, blaming "deep-rooted evils" in society for the tragedy.

Family members of those killed have dismissed as insincere President Park Geun-hye's apology for the government's handling of the disaster.

Two weeks after the ferry sank off South Korea's southern coast, divers have recovered 212 bodies from the wreckage.

They fought strong currents and floating debris inside the ship on Wednesday as they searched for 90 passengers still missing.

AP TELEVISION

Ansan

1. Various of Sewol ferry disaster survivors, in white shirts, grieving for classmates who died

2. Various of students arriving at memorial service

3. Various of students walking past flowers

4. Wide of memorial service

5. Ansan university hospital director Dr Cha Sang-hoon entering news conference

6. Wide of news conference

7. SOUNDBITE (Korean) Dr Cha Sang-hoon, Ansan university hospital director:

"In the case of the students who are being discharged, according to the examination results of the the medical team, there needs to be continued observation of any possible future symptoms that may appear. However, it is our judgement that the majority of the students do not currently show any serious symptoms that may lead to dangerous after-effects in the short-term. Our hospital will proceed with the treatment of the students and their guardians even after their discharge, and this will take place along with the school's psychiatric support programme."

8. Wide of news conference

Jindo

9. South Korean Prime Minister Chung Hong-won entering news conference

10. Cutaway of various experts at meeting

11. Cutaway of South Korean officials at meeting

12. Wide of news conference

13. SOUNDBITE (Korean) Chung Hong-won, South Korean Prime Minister:

"We have invited every one of you experts to this table to recap the situation and to reflect once again on whether there may be improvements or new approaches to be made. We felt there is a necessity to gather wisdom from experts in each sector."

14. Various of Chung at news conference

The mother of a missing student who was on the sunken South Korean ferry said on Monday the government had not done enough in the disaster which has left more than 300 people dead or missing.

Im Seon-mi, whose 16 year-old daughter Park Hye-seon was on board the ferry, 'Sewol', when it capsized last week, fought back tears as she showed pictures of her daughter on her mobile phone.

"I feel like she is gone, when I should be the one who is gone," she said.

Her anger was evident and she accused the government and the media of making the situation worse.

"After Hye-seon's funeral I am not going to let them be," she said. "Be they government or whatever, I am going to kill them and rip their limbs off and hang them up at Gwanghwamun crossroad (landmark in Seoul)."

Anger is widespread among missing passengers' relatives who are staying in a temporary shelter at a gymnasium on the island of Jindo.

On Sunday, about 100 relatives marched for six hours, intending to travel to South Korean president Park Geun-hye's office 400 kilometres (250 miles) away, before police stopped them.

Families also blocked the prime minister's car and cursed at and pushed the fisheries minister.

On Monday, a doctor volunteering to help those relatives said treating them was difficult as many refused to take prescribed medication in fear of missing any developments.

"Many of them do not have time for psychological counselling," said Kim Seog-ju, an assistant professor at a medical school in Seoul.

"If we prescribe sleeping pills some of them do not wish to take them, or refuse to take them so they can monitor the situation."

So far 64 bodies have been recovered, and about 240 people remain missing. About 225 of the missing and dead are students from a single high school near Seoul who were on their way to the southern island of Jeju.

AP TELEVISION

1. Close-up of Im Seon-mi, mother of missing student Park Hye-seon UPSOUND (Korean) "My daughter, what can I do?"

2. SOUNDBITE (Korean) Im Seon-mi, mother of missing daughter Park Hye-seon:

"I feel like she is gone, when I should be the one who is gone"

3. Various of Im holding hand to face whilst crying

4. Close of tag around Im's neck that reads (Korean) "Second grade, Classroom 2" and "Parent"

5. Im sitting by sea UPSOUND (Korean) "So you want to see an even prettier picture of her?"

6. Picture on phone of Im's daughter as child

7. SOUNDBITE (Korean) Im Seon-mi, mother of missing daughter Park Hye-seon:

"I thought she would return alive yesterday. Resurrected. My daughter. Not just my daughter but I thought all her friends would also return alive."

8. Close of Im's face UPSOUND (Korean) "She did not express very much but she was warm hearted."

9. SOUNDBITE (Korean) Im Seon-mi, mother of missing daughter Park Hye-seon:

"The government are just pretending to work. But it's just a show. And the media just play their game. When we request that we need to get in there (the ship), they say something has to come from here and from there. But that's not true. This is a hundred percent man-made disaster. If the government acted quicker, all the children would have been saved."

10. Pan from sea to Im's face

11. SOUNDBITE (Korean) Im Seon-mi, mother of missing daughter Park Hye-seon:

"After Hye-seon's funeral I am not going to let them be. Be they government or whatever, I am going to kill them and rip their limbs off and hang them up at Gwanghwamun crossroad (landmark in Seoul)."

12. Pan from Im to water

13. Various of people inside temporary shelter at Jindo gymnasium

14. Pan from sign that reads (Korean) "counselling room" to doctors sitting at desk

15. Doctor sitting at desk

16. Pharmacist talking to woman

17. Close of woman's hands

18. Pharmacist with medicines in rack behind her

19. Pharmacist handing woman bag

20. SOUNDBITE (Korean) Kim Seog-ju, Assistant Professor at Seoul National University College of Medicine and volunteer helping relatives:

"The relatives are feeling a lot of guilt and nervousness. As I said before, the situation is still ongoing so many of them do not have time for psychological counselling. Even if we prescribe sleeping pills some of them do not wish to take them, or refuse to take them so they can monitor the situation."

21. Woman covering her face crying as she is escorted past by a man

22. Woman hugging her legs, sitting on the ground, ambulance drives past

23. Various of Buddhist monk chanting mantra and beating wood block

SHOTLIST:

Protest by families of Sewol ferry victims

2054482

AP TELEVISION

Seoul - 11 April 2015

1. Wide of Sewol ferry victims' families and other activists marching in demonstration

2. Demonstrators clashing with police

Massive candlelit image in honour of Sewol victims

2055279

AP TELEVISION

Seoul - 17 Apr 2015

++NIGHT SHOTS++

3. People lighting up candles outside Seoul City Hall in hopes of setting a new Guinness record for creating the largest candlelight image

4. Candles

Sewol captain gets life sentence

2056722

POOL

Gwangju - 28 April 2015

5. Crew members and the captain, Lee Joon-seok (last one) going down stairs to get to the court room

AP TELEVISION

Gwangju - 28 April 2015

6. Judge panel seated in the court room

7. Captain and crew members seated

STORYLINE:

Sewol ferry victims' families and other activists held a rally on April 11th 2015 in Seoul to urge the government to expedite the salvage of the sunken vessel.

Police estimated that around 2,500 took part in the rally, which included a march towards the South Korean Presidential Office.

There were clashes between some activists and police officers, who were blocking the protesters' access.

The South Korean government said on Friday that its feasibility study showed that salvaging the ferry is possible - but also said that it has not decided whether to do so.

The victim's families oppose the government's enforcement ordinance of a special law relating to the disaster, which they say is holding back a full, independent investigation into what happened.

The Sewol - carrying 476 people, mostly secondary school students from Danwon High School - sank on April 16th 2014.

A total of 295 bodies have been recovered. Nine others remain missing.

Officials have blamed negligence by crew members, excessive cargo and improper storage for the sinking, along with slow rescue efforts.

A court sentenced 15 crew members last year to between five and 36 years in prison.

***

Thousands of South Koreans gathered to try to set a new record for creating the largest candlelight image to commemorate the victims of the sunken ferry Sewol on April 17th.

The attempt came a day after the first anniversary of the incident, which killed over 300 people.

The initial target was to gather 4,160 people but the number eventually reached 4,475.

They stood in the shape of the sunken ferry, and demanded the South Korean government reveal the truth behind the incident, and salvage the sunken ferry to find nine passengers, who are still missing.

Jeon Myung-sun, the father of Jeon Chan-ho, one of the Danwon High School students who died in the incident, resolved to keep urging the South Korean government to punish the people responsible for the disaster.

Other participants also called on the government to do more.

The Sewol ferry sank on April 2014 off the southwestern coast of South Korea.

It was en route to Jeju Island, carrying 476 passengers.

A total of 304 people died, including 250 students from Danwon High School in Ansan, who were on their way to their first field trip as high school students.

***

A South Korean appellate court on April 28th handed down a sentence of life in prison to the captain of a ferry that sank in 2014, killing more than 300 people.

The sentencing is harsher than a November verdict by a district court that sentenced Lee Joon-seok to 36 years in prison for negligence and abandoning passengers in need.

Lee's sentence was increased because the Gwangju High Court convicted him on homicide charges, according to court spokesman.

In the November ruling, Lee was acquitted of homicide.

The appellate court sentenced 14 other navigation crew members to 18 months to 12 years in prison.

In November they had received sentences of five to 30 years in prison.

Jeon said both prosecutors and the crew members have one week to appeal the verdicts.

Most of the victims were teenagers travelling to a southern island for a school trip.

A total of 295 bodies have been retrieved but nine others are missing.

President Barack Obama is sitting down with South Korea's President Park Geun-hye, whose attention is unavoidably split between her economic agenda with Obama and the unfolding aftermath of a tragic ferry disaster.

Arriving on Friday afternoon at the Blue House, South Korea's presidential residence, Obama presented Park with an American flag that flew over the White House on April 16 _ a day of growing infamy for South Korea.

Sitting down for meetings with Park, Obama expressed his condolences over the sunken ferry incident, which has consumed Park's government for more than a week as divers discover yet more bodies.

POOL

Seoul, South Korea - April 25, 2014

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY WHITE FLASH++

+AUDIO AS INCOMING+

1. SOUNDBITE (English) President Barack Obama:

"I would like to thank president park for welcoming me here to day I'm so grateful for the opportunity to come back but I am very mindful my visit comes at a time of deep mourning for the people of this nation and I know that president park and the south Korean government focus on responding to the tragedy of the ferry Sewol."

2. SOUNDBITE (English) President Barack Obama:

For now I just wanted ot express on behalf of the American people our deepest sympathies for the incredible and tragic loss that's taken place."

3. SOUNDBITE (English) President Barack Obama:

"As allies but also friends, we join you in mourning the loss and the missing and especially so many young people, students that represented the vitality and future of this nation."

4. SOUNDBITE (English) President Barack Obama:

"President Park I thought that it would be appropriate and fitting for us to begin today by honoring the lost and the missing and our delegation out of respect would appreciate the opportunity to join together in a moment of silence."

RESTRICTION SUMMARY: AP CLIENTS ONLY

SHOTLIST

AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Seoul - 22 April 2015

1. Representatives of the South Korean sunken ferry Sewol victims' families and activists standing with placards and banner

2. Lee Nam-seok, father of victim Lee Chang-hyun (in centre) and activists chanting (in Korean) "Discard" (the government's enforcement ordinance)'

3. Lee and activists chanting (in Korean) "Stop" (the police repression)

4. Close of Lee

5. SOUNDBITE (Korean) Lee Nam-seok, Father of ferry disaster victim Lee Chang-hyun:

"It is a very late decision. We, the families of the missing victims, agreed to stop the underwater search last November 11th. The government should have examined and immediately started the salvage process, however, instead it has killed time. We cannot help asking what the government tried to hide by taking such a long time."

6. Various pictures of still missing passengers on a poster

7. Family members holding posters

8. Memorial altar for the ferry victims

9. Candle burning in foreground with portraits of victims in background

10. Close of incense burning

11. Portraits of victims at the altar

12. Sign with symbol (Korean) "Don't forget 416" hung on a wall

13. Wide of memorial

STORYLINE

South Korea on Wednesday formally approved plans to salvage a ferry that sank last year in one of the country's deadliest disasters in decades that killed more than 300 people.

Raising the ferry is one of demands made by bereaved families, who hope that might help reveal details about the cause of the sinking and find bodies of the nine passengers still missing.

Some conservative critics have opposed raising the Sewol, a civilian ship, with taxpayers' money and are sceptical that salvaging it will provide new revelations and find the missing.

The bodies of 295 people have been recovered.

Most of the victims were high schools students who were on a trip to a southern resort island.

Park's government had faced criticism from relatives of the victims and their supporters, who say officials were reluctant to start work to lift the ship due to expected high costs.

On Wednesday relatives again criticised the government for taking so long to agree for the salvage process to begin.

Salvaging the ship is estimated to cost between 91 and 137 million US dollars and take as long as 18 months, according to the oceans ministry.

===========================================================

Clients are reminded:

(i) to check the terms of their licence agreements for use of content outside news programming and that further advice and assistance can be obtained from the AP Archive on: Tel +44 (0) 20 7482 7482 Email: info@aparchive.com

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RESTRICTION SUMMARY: AP CLIENTS ONLY

SHOTLIST

AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Seoul - 17 April 2015

++NIGHT SHOTS++

1. People lighting up candles outside Seoul City Hall in hopes of setting a new Guinness record for creating the largest candlelight image

2. Candles

3. Wide of candlelights

4. Pan from stage to citizens seated on the ground

5. People holding candles

6. Pan of crowd gathered for the candlelight vigil

7. Close of participant

8. Close of paper cup used for holding candles with the words (Korean) "Salvage the Sewol ferry, Reveal the truth"

9. Banner reading (Korean) "The world's saddest challenge" the slogan for the candlelight vigil

10. Wide of the vigil and stage

11. SOUNDBITE (Korean) Jeon Myung-sun, father of Sewol ferry victim Jeon Chan-ho and representative of Sewol ferry victims' families:

"Keeping the promise to conduct thorough investigations to unveil the truth and punish people who are responsible and create a safer community are the tasks of the (victims') families who are left behind. Then as parents who were unable to save our children, we may feel sorry when we meet our loved ones but not ashamed. That will be the task and calling of the families of those who lost their precious lives."

12. Attendants holding candles while watching performance

13. Close of paper cup reading (Korean) "The world's saddest challenge"

14. Close of male participant of the candlelight vigil Reno Kim

15. SOUNDBITE (Korean) Reno Kim, 47, owner of a trade company:

"I came to think that citizens should be outraged. If they keep that indignation to themselves, all the citizens will become ill. They should express (their opinions) and push the government (to do more to carry out people's wishes of unveiling the truth and salvage the ferry), and it feels like that is the only way that could disperse this anger."

16. SOUNDBITE (Korean) Kim Ji-soo, 18, high school student

"Many students who were my age died while trapped in the ferry. Therefore I thought that I must never forget and as a South Korean citizen and student, I thought that such tragedy must be remembered and never repeated."

17. Performers at the candlelight vigil

18. Attendants holding candles seated on the ground

19. Close of participant

20. Medium of participants at the event

21. Candlelights creating the shape of the sunken Sewol ferry

22. Wide of the candlelight image of Sewol ferry

STORYLINE

Thousands of South Koreans gathered to try to set a new record for creating the largest candlelight image to commemorate the victims of the sunken ferry Sewol on Friday night.

The attempt came a day after the first anniversary of the incident, which killed over 300 people.

The initial target was to gather 4,160 people but the number eventually reached 4,475.

They stood in the shape of the sunken ferry, and demanded the South Korean government reveal the truth behind the incident, and salvage the sunken ferry to find nine passengers, who are still missing.

Jeon Myung-sun, the father of Jeon Chan-ho, one of the Danwon High School students who died in the incident, resolved to keep urging the South Korean government to punish the people responsible for the disaster.

Other participants also called on the government to do more.

The Sewol ferry sank on April of last year off the southwestern coast of South Korea.

It was en route to Jeju Island, carrying 476 passengers.

A total of 304 people died, including 250 students from Danwon High School in Ansan, who were on their way to their first field trip as high school students.

===========================================================

Clients are reminded:

(i) to check the terms of their licence agreements for use of content outside news programming and that further advice and assistance can be obtained from the AP Archive on: Tel +44 (0) 20 7482 7482 Email: info@aparchive.com

(ii) they should check with the applicable collecting society in their Territory regarding the clearance of any sound recording or performance included within the AP Television News service

(iii) they have editorial responsibility for the use of all and any content included within the AP Television News service and for libel, privacy, compliance and third party rights applicable to their Territory.

RESTRICTION SUMMARY: AP CLIENTS ONLY

SHOTLIST

AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Ansan - 16 April 2015

1. Relatives of Sewol ferry disaster victims and others entering the ceremonial ground in front of memorial stage

2. Various of relatives

3. Representative of the victims' families on stage

4. SOUNDBITE (Korean) Yoo Kyung-geun, spokesman for the victims' families:

"We decided to cancel the official memorial ceremony after we determined that all the citizens of South Korea including the "4.16 family" (group representing the relatives of the victims) are not worthy of commemorating the 295 victims and 9 missing students."

5. Empty seats reserved for government officials

6. Various of South Korean President Park Geun-hye's empty seat

7. SOUNDBITE (Korean) Kim Sang-gil, father of Sewol ferry victim Kim Seung-hyuk:

"(The government should) swiftly accommodate our message and quickly give answers so that the truth is revealed."

8. SOUNDBITE (Korean) Kim Mi-hyun, mother of Sewol ferry victim Park Sung-bin:

"Even after one year, everything stays the same. As helpless parents, it is terrifying to see our children dying, but at least we have to know why they died. We asked (the government) to find out the reason, but it is not being done."

9. Various of relatives hugging

10. Interior of memorial

11. Photos of victims on wall

12. Pan from civil organisation holding placards to the memorial area

STORYLINE

Angry relatives of passengers who drowned in the Sewol ferry disaster cancelled a memorial service in Ansan on Thursday, in protest against President Park Geun-hye's absence from the event.

More than 300 people died, mostly high school pupils, when the Sewol sank in cold waters off the south-western South Korean coast exactly one year ago.

The relatives expressed their anger over Park not visiting the memorial service even though they had set aside a chair for her and not providing a firm commitment for a deeper investigation into what they say is government responsibility for the sinking and botched rescue.

The families also claimed that Park should have delivered a more detailed plan for salvaging the ship during a speech earlier in the day, according to Pil Kyu Hwang, a lawyer representing the families.

Park made her speech during a visit to the small port near the site of the sinking to offer her condolences to the bereaved relatives.

Most, however, refused to meet her, in protest of the government's handling of the sinking, and had already left the port.

Also Thursday, South Korean lawmakers adopted a resolution urging the government to salvage the ferry.

===========================================================

Clients are reminded:

(i) to check the terms of their licence agreements for use of content outside news programming and that further advice and assistance can be obtained from the AP Archive on: Tel +44 (0) 20 7482 7482 Email: info@aparchive.com

(ii) they should check with the applicable collecting society in their Territory regarding the clearance of any sound recording or performance included within the AP Television News service

(iii) they have editorial responsibility for the use of all and any content included within the AP Television News service and for libel, privacy, compliance and third party rights applicable to their Territory.

RESTRICTION SUMMARY: AP CLIENTS ONLY

SHOTLIST

AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Seoul - 16 April 2015

++NIGHT SHOTS++

1. Pan of people protesting in front of police security wall while trying to march down to the incense altars located in Gwanghwamun Square after vigil to commemorate victims of Sewol ferry sinking

2. Various of protesters kicking police security wall

3. Pan of clash between people and police

4. Close of protester shouting to police over the police security wall

5. Protesters attempting to break police security wall

6. Wide of vigil

7. Wide of banner reading (Korean) "We will not forget"

8. Wide of signs reading (Korean) "There are still people inside the Sewol ferry"

9. Speaker Huh Heung-hwan, father of missing victim Huh Da-yoon, greeting those attending vigil before starting his speech

10. Wide of audience

11. SOUNDBITE (Korean) Huh Heung-hwan, 52, father of missing victim Huh Da-yoon

"Until that ferry is salvaged, you all (government) will need to take the responsibility. I'm shouting that we need to send the nine missing victims back to their families and to their friends."

12. Wide of crowd at vigil

13. Distraught people at vigil

14. Wide of performance during which lighted replica of the Sewol ferry was raised above stage

15. Close of lifting up of the replica ferry

16. Zoom out of replica ferry being lifted up

17. Close of the replica ferry

18. Wide of the replica ferry

STORYLINE

Thousands of South Koreans expressed their anger at the government on the first anniversary of the Sewol ferry sinking late on Thursday.

Grief and frustration turned into anger when the relatives, friends and supporters tried to reach Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul to lay flowers on the altars for the 304 victims, most of whom were high school students.

However, police stopped them from marching further by blocking their paths with buses and police walls.

The protesters responded by kicking and throwing objects at the walls.

At a vigil in downtown Seoul, where relatives have protested for months, there were also calls for the recovery of nine of the victims, whose bodies still haven't been retrieved.

There's frustration among South Koreans who see their government as having failed to make meaningful improvements to safety standards and hold high-level officials accountable for a disaster blamed in part on incompetence and corruption.

Earlier in the day, relatives blocked the prime minister from attending a mourning event and cancelled another ceremony because of what they called government indifference to their plight.

Hours before travelling abroad, President Park Geun-hye visited a small port near the site of the sinking to offer condolences to bereaved relatives.

Most, however, refused to meet her to protest the government's response.

Park gave a speech anyway, announcing plans to salvage the ferry - a demand of the relatives.

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US President Barack Obama conveyed scepticism on Thursday about Russian promises to de-escalate tensions in Ukraine, and said the United States and its allies are ready to impose fresh sanctions if Moscow doesn't make good on its commitments.

His comments came a few hours after Secretary of State John Kerry wrapped up a meeting in Geneva about the crisis in Ukraine.

The meeting finalised with an agreement between the US, European Union, Russia and Ukraine to put on hold - for now at least - additional economic sanctions the West had prepared to impose on Russia if the talks were fruitless.

Obama also said that the America's primary concern is Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and positive relationships with "both its European neighbours and its Russian neighbours."

The agreement does not set out specific directions for the former Soviet country's future, but it requires all sides to halt any violence, intimidation or provocative actions.

It calls for the disarming of all illegally armed groups and for control of buildings seized by pro-Russian separatists to be turned back to authorities.

Obama also offered his condolences to victims of the South Korean ferry disaster.

"I just want to express on behalf of the American people our deepest condolences to the Republic of Korea and the families and all those who have seen their loved ones lost when a ferry sank within the last couple of days."

He also said he will underscore his country's commitment to its ally South Korea in good times and bad when he is in the country for a previously planned trip.

AP TELEVISION

1. US President Barack Obama walking up to White House briefing room podium

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Barack Obama, President of the United States:

"I just want to express on behalf of the American people our deepest condolences to the Republic of Korea and the families and all those who have seen their loved ones lost when a ferry sank within the last couple of days."

3. Cutaway of reporters

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Barack Obama, President of the United States:

"I think there is the possibility, the prospect that diplomacy may de-escalate the situation. And we may be able to move towards what has always been our goal, which is let the Ukrainians make their own decisions about their own lives."

5. Mid of Obama

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Barack Obama, President of the United States:

"We are coordinating now with our European allies. My hope is that we actually do see follow-through over the next several days but I don't think given past performance that we can count on that. And we have to be prepared to potentially respond to what continue to be efforts of interference by the Russians."

7. Mid of Obama

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Barack Obama, President of the United States:

"This whole exercise by the Russians is not good for Russia either. There are I think a number of articles today indicating the degree to which an economy that was already stuck in the mud is further deteriorating because of these actions and in my conversations with President Putin, I've emphasised the same thing."

9. Mid of reporters

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Barack Obama, President of the United States:

"There is a way for Ukraine to be independent, to be sovereign and to have positive relationships with the both the west and the east, with both its European neighbours and its Russian neighbours and that's our primary concern."

11. Cutaway of media

12. SOUNDBITE (English) Barack Obama, President of the United States:

"But we don't have an interest in hurting ordinary Russians just for the sake of it. Our strong preference would be for Mr. Putin to follow through on what is a glimmer of hope coming out of these Geneva talks but we're not going to count on it until we see it."

13. Pan across Obama leaving briefing room