The Sewol ferry disaster has left not only bereaved families but also the general public in great pain. The suffering continues today, but there are volunteer efforts that seek to bring comfort. On Jindo Island, near the scene of the accident, in Ansan City, where Danwon High School is located, and at memorial altars all over Korea, we can see volunteers who soothe bodies and souls exhausted by the disaster.

A “squirrel taxi” originally referred to a taxi that repeatedly runs a specific route, not unlike a squirrel in a wheel. However, the word “good” has recently started to accompany this term. Over 800 taxi drivers belonging to the Ansan Private Taxi Association are voluntarily offering a free taxi service for bereaved families and visitors to Ansan, the Jindo Gymnasium, Paengmok Harbor and the memorial altar since the ferry disaster occurred.

On April 17, the second day of the Sewol ferry disaster, Ansan Private Taxi Association’s Head Baek Yong-ho called an emergency meeting. Twenty representatives of 2,000-odd association members gathered together to deliberate what they could do for a grieving Ansan. “After thinking about it, we concluded that, as taxi drivers, we can provide free taxi services to the visitors.”

The twenty representatives volunteered on the first day, and the group started accepting volunteers from the following day. Over 800 taxi drivers applied, and that was how the Good Squirrel Taxis were born, providing free transportation services to bereaved families and visitors.

Taking bereaved families to Paengmok Harbor and visitors to the group memorial altar, the drivers say that their hearts ache. “We always ask the volunteer drivers to be careful.” With victims from so many households in Ansan, the drivers strive to be more careful about what they say or do so as not to cause further suffering.

As news about the free service provided by the Good Squirrel Taxis in Ansan City became more widely known, the Ansan Private Taxi Association received more and more calls. Some people even called from the U.S. to ask for a bank account number to which they could send donations in support of such a good cause. The association has been apologetically declining help from these generous people, gratefully accepting only their good wishes.

The group memorial altar was relocated to the Hwarang Amusement Park on April 29, so the Good Squirrel Taxis also switched to the 2nd parking lot of the Hwarang Amusement Park to continue their free service. They have been working on weekends and holidays as well, offering free transportation to bereaved families and visitors between the group memorial altar in the Hwarang Amusement Park and funeral halls, crematoriums and burial plots in and out of Ansan as well as Jindo, Paengmok Harbor and Mokpo.

Even though they earn a living with their cabs, they are voluntarily offering free taxi services by taking time out of their busy schedules. Their kind acts will hopefully bring some comfort to people suffering from the Sewol ferry disaster. “We’re going to offer this service until everything is back on track,” said Baek. “Over 800 drivers are taking turns now, and there is still a list of applicants wanting to participate, so we can continue to offer this service for free.” Thanks to these people sharing the pain with neighbors, we may still have hope.

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