BBC Online :
South Korean prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for the captain of the Sewol ferry, which sank in April killing more than 300 people.
The prosecutors said Lee Joon-seok, who is charged with homicide, failed to execute his duty.
The call came as they concluded their case in a trial which began in June.
The sinking sparked nation-wide grief and led to severe criticism of both safety standards and the government’s handling of the rescue operation.
Many of those who died when the ferry sank were teenagers on a school trip. The disaster was blamed on a combination of illegal redesigns, overloading of cargo and an inexperienced crew member steering the vessel.
There was public outrage after survivors testified that they had been told by the crew to stay where they were even as the boat started to sink.
Prosecutors said Capt Lee “escaped the ship without making any efforts to rescue passengers”, AFP news agency reported.
“He made excuses and lied. He showed no repentance… and so we ask for the death sentence,” they said.
