The Presidential Office Enters 24-Hour Emergency Status for Muan Accident... Support from Acting Chief Choi

Emergency Chief Meeting Held Chaired by Chief Secretary Jeong Jin-seok
Reported Meeting Results to Acting Director Choi... Discussed Work Coordination

On the 29th, at Muan International Airport in Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do, a Jeju Air passenger plane collision and explosion accident occurred. Fire and rescue personnel are searching inside the accident passenger plane. Photo by Yonhap News.

On the 29th, the Presidential Office decided to establish a 24-hour emergency response system centered on the National Situation Room, with the Presidential Secretariat and the National Security Office, to respond to the aircraft accident at Muan International Airport in Jeonnam.

The Presidential Office announced that on the same day in the morning, an emergency senior meeting was held, chaired by Jeong Jin-seok, Chief of the Presidential Secretariat, to discuss response measures related to the aircraft accident in Muan-gun, Jeonnam.

During the meeting, they discussed thoroughly investigating the cause of the accident and the exact facts, and ensuring a thorough response system including rescue and medical support by coordinating cooperation and work adjustment among related ministries.

Since President Yoon Seok-yeol and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo are currently suspended from duty, the meeting results were reported to Choi Sang-mok, Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, who is the presidential authority delegate.

The Presidential Office also shared Acting Prime Minister Choi’s directive to mobilize all available equipment and personnel to focus on rescuing lives with the related ministries.

In particular, the Presidential Office explained that Acting Prime Minister Choi proposed holding an emergency Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting.

The Presidential Office stated, "If necessary, senior meetings will be held frequently and shared with the acting authority and related ministries."

Attendees of the meeting included Chief Jeong, Policy Chief Seong Tae-yoon, Political Affairs Senior Secretary Hong Cheol-ho, Public Relations Senior Secretary Lee Do-woon, Civil Affairs Senior Secretary Kim Joo-hyun, Economic Senior Secretary Park Chun-seop, Social Senior Secretary Jang Sang-yoon, and Science and Technology Senior Secretary Park Sang-wook.

Acting President and Deputy Prime Minister as well as Minister of Economy and Finance Choi Sang-mok is talking with the families of passengers of the accident aircraft in front of the control tower at Muan Airport, Jeollanam-do, on the afternoon of the 29th. Photo by Yonhap News

The Prime Minister’s Office is also known to be assisting Acting Prime Minister Choi, led by Bang Ki-seon, Director of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, to manage the accident response.

The government is currently operating the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters to fully focus on rescue and damage recovery.

An Integrated Support Headquarters has been established at the site, and a special disaster area has also been declared.

Acting Prime Minister Choi said, "We will thoroughly investigate the cause of the accident and prepare measures to prevent recurrence of similar accidents," adding, "the government sincerely offers condolences to the bereaved families and will do its best to manage the aftermath of this accident and prevent recurrence."

Meanwhile, at around 9:03 a.m. on the same day, a Jeju Air flight 7C2216 from Bangkok, Thailand, attempted to land on the runway at Muan International Airport when the accident occurred.

The aircraft, carrying 181 passengers and crew members, collided with the outer wall of the runway, breaking apart and causing a fire. Rescue operations are underway, but there have been multiple casualties.