South Korea Ferry Disaster News: Brother of Most Wanted Man Arrested
South Korean police have arrested Yoo Byung-ho, the younger brother of the country's most wanted man, Yoo Byung-eun. Yoo Byung-eun is a businessman wanted for his alleged involvement in the ferry disaster that killed hundreds of schoolchildren. Authorities are looking for family members as well, Reuters reported.
The ferry sank April 16. Officials have since raided a government office in Sejong City and arrested a Fisheries Ministry official who was part owner of the ferry. The office was raided after the official was arrested for allegedly accepting a bribe in October.
Yoo Byung-eun is wanted in connection with embezzlement, negligence and tax evasion. Yoo Byung-ho was arrested on suspicion of embezzlement as well, according to the prosecutor.
Reuters reported that Yoo Byung-eun, 73, has eluded authorities for more than a month in one of the country's biggest manhunts. They have arrested his wife, his younger sister and her husband, and a former Czech Republic ambassador. The sister and her husband are suspected to have helped him evade arrest.
NBC News reported that authorities believe Yoo Byung-eun owns the ship and that his alleged corruption may have led to its sinking.
He is part of the Evangelical Baptist Church, which is accused of being a cult. Officers (some wearing riot gear) raided the church's compound Wednesday and detained five people in relation to the crime. Police aren't sure if Yoo Byung-eun was at the compound during the raid, but they are looking to detain more people for possibly aiding Yoo Byung-eun during the manhunt. They have even dug up the grounds around the compound in search of tunnels but have found none.
The ferry sinking was one of South Korea's deadliest disasters in over 20 years. Over 290 bodies have been recovered; others are still missing.
The 15 surviving crewmembers of the ship face charges ranging from homicide to negligence after video surfaced of them abandoning the ship without helping the children, who were obeying orders and staying in their cabins. Their lawyers have argued that the coastguard, not the crew, was responsible for rescuing the children.
Yoo Byung-eun served time for fraud in 1991.
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