• Korean System Dynamics Review
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.5-32
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• 2015

Last year, a disastrous accident happened on the sea. Car ferry Se-wol which was on its way from In-cheon to Je-ju sank in the middle of the western sea. 304 passengers were drowned at the sea in the accident. There were no passengers who were waiting on board ship rescued in the accident. This study is to review the pattern of decision making in the middle of saving a life, right after Se-wol was about to sink. The starting point of this study is decision making on the rescue by rescue corps with no expert knowledge at the initial stage. When it comes to saving victims, there was no expert on rescue on the sea. Failure in rescue at Se-wol disaster lets us find a vicious circle of positive feedback loop. Experts with no experience act like well-qualified persons. Unqualified persons(leaders) have no expertise. Those who pretend to be expert occupy the important post in the hierarchy. It means we could not accumulate expertise of know-how in rescue division. That's why a vicious circle of positive feedback is formed in areas of disasters. It is necessary to train experts in Government Organizations to weaken the vicious circle of positive feedback.