An appeals court has upheld the acquittal of former commanding officers of the Coast Guard facing charges over failed initial rescue operations during the 2014 Sewol ferry disaster.

The Seoul High Court on Tuesday found Kim Suk-kyoon, the chief of the Korea Coast Guard at the time, and eight others who served under the Park Geun-hye administration not guilty of professional negligence resulting in death.

The court upheld suspended prison terms for two former maritime police officers for fabricating documents related to the case.

Kim and others were referred to trial in February 2020 for failing to fulfill their duties that were critical to rescuing passengers as the Sewol ferry sank on April 16, 2014.

Over 300 people, most of whom were high school students, were killed in one of the country's worst maritime disasters.