Maritime Minister Lee Ju-young resigned Tuesday after handling the aftermath of April's deadly ferry sinking that claimed more than 300 lives.

President Park Geun-hye announced the minister's resignation during a Cabinet meeting held at the government complex in Sejong, saying Lee's dedication to the recovery efforts deeply moved the victims' families and the general public.

"When the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries was going through the most difficult time following the Sewol accident, the victims'

families and the people were deeply moved by the dedication (Lee) showed toward the recovery efforts with every part of himself by remaining at the site in Jindo for 136 days," Park said.

"I believe (Lee) showed the true image of a public official who must serve the public and expect him to play an even larger role for the nation wherever he goes."

The 6,825-ton ferry Sewol sank off the country's southwestern coast near the island of Jindo on April 16 en route to the southern resort island of Jeju.

A total of 295 people, mostly teenage students on a field trip, have been confirmed dead, while nine remain unaccounted for.

The tragedy rocked the nation for months, leading to a wide-scale prosecution investigation into the cause of the sinking and a monthslong manhunt for the ship's owner.

Prosecutors have said a combination of cargo overloading, excessive remodeling of the ship and poor steering were to blame for the disaster.

Critics argued that the government's poor initial response to the tragedy contributed to the high death toll, leading to a reorganization of the government, including the Coast Guard's dismantlement. (Yonhap)