South Korea Ferry Victim\\\'s Father Ends 45-day Hunger Strike

The father of one of the high school students killed in South Korea's ferry disaster on Thursday abandoned a hunger strike aimed at forcing lawmakers to set up a full independent inquiry. The Sewol ferry sank off South Korea's southern coast in April with a loss of more than 300 lives. Most of the victims were students at the same high school in Ansan, south of Seoul. Kim Young-Oh, who lost his 16-year-old daughter in the tragedy, went on hunger strike on July 14, demanding legislation setting up full inquiry into the disaster. He was hospitalised last week after taking only water and salts throughout the fast. A spokesman for the victims' relatives said he had decided to end the hunger strike at the urging of his family. ‘Kim Young-Oh has decided to end the strike... accepting a plea from his family,’ the spokesman told reporters. The relatives also called for President Park Geun-Hye and lawmakers from rival parties to work harder to end the political stalemate over legislation to set up an inquiry. Some of the victims' relatives, including Kim, have been camped out in downtown Seoul for weeks to push parliament to pass the law, according to ndtv.com