Mourners Continue to Visit Joint Memorial Altar for Jeju Air Passenger Plane Tragedy

On the morning of the 30th, at the joint memorial altar for the Jeju Air passenger plane disaster set up at the Jeonnam Muan County Comprehensive Sports Park, mourners continued to visit. Photo by Song Bohyun

On the morning of the 30th, a steady stream of mourners visited the joint memorial altar for the Jeju Air passenger plane disaster, set up at the Muan County Sports Park in Jeollanam-do.

From 11 a.m., the altar began receiving visitors, and memorial tablets for the victims whose identities had been confirmed were placed on the platform.

Thousands of white chrysanthemums were prepared to be distributed to citizens. Volunteers moved busily, handing out condolence ribbons and chrysanthemums.

On this day, citizens arrived alone or in small groups of two or three, offering white chrysanthemums and mourning the victims who were once someone's family, colleague, or friend.

With black condolence ribbons pinned to their clothes, citizens accepted the white chrysanthemums with somber expressions and walked with small steps. After quietly bowing their heads in silent tribute and laying flowers, many wiped away tears with their hands.

A citizen in their 60s from Hampyeong County, Jeollanam-do, said, "My heart hurts so much because people were lost so tragically, so I came to the altar," unable to hide their sorrowful expression.

On this day, Choi Sangmok, Acting President and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, Kwon Seongdong, Floor Leader of the People Power Party, Lee Jaemyung, Leader of the Democratic Party, Chun Haram, Floor Leader of the Reform Party, and Lee Jooyoung, Policy Committee Chair of the Reform Party, among other political figures, also visited the altar to pray for the eternal rest of the victims.

Meanwhile, Jeju Air flight 7C 2216 from Bangkok, Thailand, attempted an emergency landing at Muan Airport at around 9:03 a.m. the previous day with its landing gear (equipment necessary for takeoff and landing, such as the plane's wheels) not deployed. The aircraft struck the outer wall of the runway and exploded. The aircraft involved was a B737-800, carrying 175 passengers and 6 crew members, totaling 181 people; 179 were confirmed dead at the scene.

The government announced that a national mourning period would be observed for seven days until midnight on January 4 next year. Joint memorial altars will be set up at the site of Muan Airport and in 17 cities and provinces including Jeollanam-do, Gwangju, Seoul, and Sejong. All government ministries, local governments, and public institutions will fly flags at half-mast, and public officials will wear mourning ribbons.

On the morning of the 30th, at the joint memorial altar set up for the Jeju Air passenger plane disaster at the Jeonnam Muan-gun Comprehensive Sports Park, mourners continued to visit. Photo by Song Bohyun