President Park Geun-hye directed the government to enhance safety oversight Monday after fatal accidents at a Seoul construction site and a youth boot camp last week.

“Praying for the souls of the victims, I offer heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families,” Park said during a meeting with senior secretaries, before ordering officials to make sure that similar accidents didn’t happen in the future.

“If any safety problems occur due to the lack of oversight and supervisory efforts, I will make whoever is at fault take full responsibility without fail,” Park added.

Five teenagers drowned at a private seaside summer camp at Taean Beach, South Chungcheong Province on Thursday. They were swept away by a strong current when they jumped into the sea without their life jackets, as ordered by the camp instructors.

The Education Ministry announced that it had fired the principal of the high school for the deaths.

Lee Sang-kyu, the principal of a high school affiliated with Gongju National University, was allegedly drinking alcohol with other teachers when he was notified of the deaths.

The 60-year-old Lee had already offered his resignation to the ministry after the incident.

The ministry said it was also to conduct a special audit into the high school starting this week to look into whether there was any illegality in the organizing of the boot camp.

Na Seung-il, vice education minister, said Monday that all schools should check their planned summer camps and cancel if there are any safety concerns.

“We’re going to enhance safety guidelines and will impose severe punishment against people who don’t follow them,” he said during the meeting with officials from local education offices.

By Oh Kyu-wook (596story@heraldcorp.com)