It was attended by bereaved families of victims of the disaster and people from all walks of life from Jeju Island, Pusan, Kwangju and other parts of south Korea, more than 15 000 in all.

Speakers said at the rally that the bereaved families proposed a special bill for probing the truth but it has not yet been discussed.

Chongwadae and the "Saenuri Party" have not moved at all because they should be investigated if the bill is made a law, they charged. They called for making every effort to have the special bill carried.

Chongwadae and the ruling party should be forced to yield to the people's demand in order to prevent the recurrence of the tragedy of the ferry Sewol, they declared.

At the end of the rally the participants staged a demo in demand of the institution of the special law.