Ministry of Transport announces renovations at 7 airports after Jeju Air Boeing collides with structure in December
The South Korean Ministry of Transport announced on Wednesday (22 January 2025) the removal of the concrete embankment at Muan International Airport. The structure was identified as an aggravating factor in the accident with Jeju Air flight 7C2216, which killed 179 people in December.
Only 2 crew members survived the accident on December 29, 2024, when the Boeing 737-800 landed at high speed without its landing gear, collided with the structure and exploded. Survivors were in the rear of the aircraft.
The ministry said it will make adjustments to similar structures at 7 airports, including Muan and Jeju International Airport. “Muan International Airport plans to completely remove the existing concrete and reinstall the locator in a fragile structure”the agency said in a statement.
The changes planned by the ministry include the complete removal of the concrete barrier at Muan, the installation of new foundations for navigation antennas and the extension of the runway’s safety area, which will increase from 200 to 240 meters.
Police reported that Son Chang-wan, former president of GET UP (Korea Airports Corporation), was found dead in his home on Tuesday (Jan 21, 2025), in an apparent suicide. Son held the position during the renovation of the structure at Muan airport.
The accident is the most serious in South Korean domestic aviation since 1993, when an Asiana Airlines Boeing 737 crashed in Mokpo, causing 66 deaths. Investigations into the causes of the Jeju Air crash, including a possible bird strike, remain ongoing.
