"Everyone Liked How Efficiently They Did Their Work"
Jung Woo-young, an SBS sports caster, expressed condolences regarding the Jeju Air passenger plane accident that occurred on the 29th at Jeonnam Muan International Airport. It was reported that among the victims of this tragedy was a Korean professional baseball official known to him.
On the same day, Jung posted on his official social media (SNS), saying, "He was very good at his job, and everyone on our company's baseball broadcasting team liked him," adding, "I was certainly one of them."
He continued, "We waited until the end for the miraculous news of survival, but with the news that everyone except the rescued had died, even the last hope disappeared," lamenting, "In the end, he did not return. Neither did his family."
Jung said, "I comfort him, his surviving family members, and the Tigers," adding, "I want to comfort Gwangju, Muan, and our sorrowful Republic of Korea. Also, my own sadness."
The victim Jung referred to was Mr. A, an employee of the professional baseball team Kia Tigers. He was on his first overseas trip to Thailand with his wife and 3-year-old son when the tragedy occurred. Mr. A's son is known to be the youngest victim of this accident, adding to the sorrow.
On the afternoon of the 29th, search operations with search dogs continued at the site of the Jeju Air passenger plane collision and explosion accident at Muan International Airport in Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do, focusing on the damaged rear part of the aircraft. Photo by Yonhap News
Meanwhile, on the morning of the same day, a Jeju Air passenger plane from Bangkok, Thailand, crashed at Jeonnam Muan International Airport, killing 179 of the 181 passengers on board. The survivors were two flight attendants who were seated at the rear of the aircraft during the crash; they were rescued early during the fire department's search.
This tragedy is expected to be recorded as the third deadliest domestic aviation accident in history. The deadliest domestic aviation accident was the 1983 Korean Air shootdown incident, which resulted in 269 deaths. The second deadliest was the 1997 Korean Air Guam crash, with a total of 225 fatalities.
The government has designated a national mourning period of seven days from the day of the accident until the 4th of next month. Joint memorial altars will be set up in 17 cities and provinces, including the accident site at Muan Airport, Jeonnam, Gwangju, Seoul, and Sejong. Early flag lowering at public institutions and the wearing of mourning ribbons by public officials have also been decided.
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