GWANGJU, South Korea (AP) — Prosecutors on Friday said the CEO and four employees of the operator of a sunken South Korean ferry caused the accident by overloading the ship with poorly stowed cargo after a risky redesign and neglecting safety by spending less than $2 last year on crew training.
The defendants countered that the cause of the April disaster that left more than 300 people dead or missing wasn’t yet clear. The five had been expected to verbally enter pleas at a preliminary hearing Friday at Gwangju District Court, but their lawyers said they needed more time and would submit written pleas later. Another hearing is scheduled in three weeks.
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