South Korean ferry captain gets life term

Seoul

THE captain of the South Korean ferry that capsized a year ago, killing more than 300 people, most of them teenagers, was sentenced on Tuesday to life in prison in an appeals court ruling that convicted him of murder.

The conviction of the captain, Lee Jun-seok, on murder charges marked a victory for prosecutors and victims' families, who protested a lower-court ruling last November that acquitted him of murder, citing lack of evidence, and sentenced him to 36 years in prison on lesser charges, like violations of ship safety laws.