A tragic aviation disaster that claimed 179 lives in December 2024 may have been largely preventable, according to a recent government-commissioned report cited by opposition lawmaker Kim Eun-hye. The Jeju Air Boeing 737-800, arriving from Bangkok, overran the runway at Muan International Airport, striking a concrete mound at the end of the runway. Only two flight attendants, seated at the rear, survived.
The report, prepared by the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board, included a simulation suggesting that without the concrete barrier—which failed to meet international safety standards—the crash might not have been fatal. The plane could have slid safely for more than 770 meters before stopping, with passengers potentially escaping serious injury. Had the navigation facility been supported by a breakable structure instead of solid concrete, even minor injuries might have been the worst outcome.
Kim, a member of a bipartisan parliamentary special committee, criticized the decades-long government neglect, highlighting that the structure had been flagged as unsafe as far back as 1999. “This disaster is a clear example of preventable tragedy,” she said.
Families of the victims are now stepping up pressure for accountability, accusing authorities of delaying the report’s release and failing to ensure infrastructure safety. While the report underscores the structural hazard, it does not yet constitute an official accident conclusion. Muan Airport remains closed and is expected to reopen in April.
A representative for the victims’ families called the findings “solid proof that the disaster was man-made” and demanded an apology from the investigation board for withholding the information. South Korean authorities have yet to release the full investigative report, though parliament has initiated its own probe to ensure transparency and accountability.
This heartbreaking incident serves as a stark reminder that oversight and attention to safety standards are not just bureaucratic procedures—they are lives saved. For the families, the tragedy is ongoing, a mix of grief and a relentless demand for truth and justice.
