30s Opens Aircraft Door on Flight from Jeju... Court Orders Asiana Airlines to Pay 700 Million Won Compensation

Last May Jeju-Daegu Asiana Airlines Disturbance
Charges of Aviation Security Act Violation and Property Damage

A man in his 30s who caused a disturbance by opening an aircraft door while flying at an altitude of about 200 meters last May, frightening passengers, has been ordered to pay over 700 million won in compensation to the airline.

On the 5th, the Civil Division 12 of Daegu District Court (Presiding Judge Chae Seong-ho) ruled in a damages lawsuit filed by Asiana Airlines against Mr. A (32), ordering "the defendant to pay the plaintiff 727,028,729 won," according to a report by Yonhap News Agency on the same day.

The appearance of an Asiana Airlines aircraft with emergency exits damaged due to Mr. A's rampage
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Mr. A was prosecuted on charges of violating the Aviation Security Act and property damage for forcibly manipulating the emergency door locking device and opening the door on Asiana Airlines flight 8124 from Jeju to Daegu on May 26 last year at around 12:37 PM. The flight was carrying 197 passengers and was flying at 700 to 800 feet (approximately 213 to 243 meters) at a speed of 260 km/h while preparing to land. At the time, he was also charged with damaging the aircraft by causing the external emergency exit slide to detach.

Due to Mr. A's disturbance, nine people on board, including elementary school students, showed symptoms such as difficulty breathing and were taken to the hospital immediately after landing. Additionally, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport estimated that the repair costs would amount to about 640 million won due to damage to three parts of the aircraft, including the emergency exit door and slide, caused by the illegal opening of the emergency exit. Asiana Airlines is also known to have independently estimated the damages separately from the Ministry.

Investigations revealed that Mr. A committed the crime due to an abnormal anxiety and restlessness, feeling an impulse to get out because he thought the aircraft might explode during landing. In the first trial's sentencing hearing held in October last year, the prosecution requested a six-year prison sentence for Mr. A. However, in the sentencing hearing the following month, the first trial court, considering the psychiatric evaluation that the defendant was mentally impaired at the time of the crime and the defendant's admission of the crime, sentenced him to three years in prison with a five-year probation. The court also ordered Mr. A to undergo probation and psychiatric treatment. Nevertheless, the prosecution appealed the first trial verdict, claiming the sentence was too light, and in March, additionally indicted Mr. A on charges of causing injuries such as adjustment disorder to 15 passengers by opening the aircraft door.