The editorial mentioned that the Kwangju District Court sentenced the former captain of guard ship 123 of the Mokpho Maritime Police Station to four years in prison for not taking positive steps to rescue the passengers aboard the ferry.

It went on:

The bereaved families, however, reacted angrily, protesting the sentence is too light.

The investigation of the prosecution ended in just calling to task the captain and sailors of the guard ship, some staff members of the Chonghaejin shipping company and junior officers of the maritime police.

Charging that the "government" and the "Saenuri Party" are interrupting the activities of the special investigation committee, the editorial demanded the authorities buckle down to the refloatation of the ferry.