Singer continues hunger strike for Sewol

SingerKim Jang-hooncollapsed yesterday after 21 days of hunger strike and then moved to a hospital.

He voluntarily participated in a hunger strike to help people who had lost their families in the sinking of the Sewol Ferry in April. The families are currently protesting to pressure the government and legislature so that they would pass a law to form an independent fact-finding panel to investigate why the sinking occured, which killed more than 300 passengers, and why the rescue process couldn't be more promptly started.

Kim is still refusing food, while he is getting some saline solution injected. Kim was arguing that he needs to go outside because he has things to do in Gwanghwamun today, according to Ilgan Sports, an affiliate of the Korea JoongAng Daily. The report quoted an official close to Kim as saying, "No one can't stop him".

He was on a hunger strike for seven days since Aug. 4 and then stopped. He again started to refuse food since Aug. 8.

BY LEE SUN-MIN [summerlee@joongang.co.kr]