The Jeju Air incident resulting in 179 fatalities has prompted South Korea to reassess the nation's aviation operational framework.
Acting President Choi Sang-mok of South Korea on Monday instructed the ministry of transport to conduct an urgent safety review of the nation's aviation operational framework. Jeju Air CEO Kim E-bae neither verified nor refuted reports suggesting a bird strike was the cause of the incident. Song Kyung-hoon, the head of Jeju Air’s management support office, denied claims that mechanical failures or insufficient safety measures contributed to the accident.
South Korea's acting President Choi Sang-mok has instructed the ministry of transport to conduct an urgent safety review of the nation's aviation operational framework, according to a report Monday from the local news agency Yonhap.
Choi made these remarks at a disaster control meeting held in Seoul, subsequent to a Jeju Air flight crashing at Muan International Airport within the country on Sunday. This incident resulted in 179 deaths with only two individuals surviving, thereby marking it as the most devastating aviation incident in South Korea. "The pilot issued a mayday call subsequent to signaling a bird strike," stated Joo Jong-wan, the director of aviation policy division at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.
Choi pledged that the government would "make every possible effort" in providing support to the bereaved families and announced a seven-day period of national mourning.
During a press briefing held on Sunday, Song Kyung-hoon, the head of Jeju Air's management support office, stated that the airline would support the victims and their families and that the aircraft had $1 billion in insurance coverage, as reported by Yonhap.
Regarding reports suggesting a bird strike was the cause of the incident, Jeju Air CEO Kim E-bae neither verified nor refuted them.
"Currently, the precise cause of the incident has not yet been ascertained, and we must await the formal investigation by governmental bodies," Kim stated in a statement on Sunday.
Song refuted claims that mechanical failures or inadequate safety measures were contributing factors in the incident.
"This incident is unrelated to any maintenance concerns. There can be absolutely no flexibility when it comes to aircraft maintenance," Song stated.
On Monday, a Jeju Air flight reportedly returned to Gimpo International Airport shortly after its departure because a comparable issue with the plane's landing gear was detected.
This accident occurs during a politically sensitive period for South Korea.
Choi is the country's second acting president within a month. He assumed this role after acting President Han Duck-soon was impeached on Friday by lawmakers due to his reluctance to appoint three justices to the Constitutional Court examining the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Yoon was impeached just a few weeks prior, following his imposition of martial law for a six-hour duration at the beginning of the month, marking the first such instance since the military coup of 1979.
Shares of Jeju Air reached a record low on Monday, according to data from FactSet, and were last trading down by 8.53%. Stocks of other Korean airlines experienced volatility.