The people are becoming increasingly critical of the "government" for failing to conduct a timely operation to rescue the ferry "Sewol", the statement held.

Park Geun Hye is shifting the responsibility for the sinking on to public officials and crewmen, in particular, they said.

She is seriously mistaken if she thinks the "government" has fulfilled its responsibility through the "prime minister's" expression of his intention to step down, the statement said, urging her to make a direct apology to the people.