"Please Be Happy There"… Kim Byung-hyun Mourns Friend Lost in Tragedy

Posting Chrysanthemum Photos on SNS to Commemorate Victims
Jeon Nal Jung Woo-young Also Posted a Tribute Message

Former professional baseball player and broadcaster Kim Byung-hyun mourned an acquaintance who passed away in the Muan International Airport passenger plane accident. On the 30th, Kim Byung-hyun posted on his social media (SNS), "Someone's mother, father, someone's son, daughter, someone's older brother, younger brother, older sister, older brother. My heart hurts a lot. I sincerely pray for the repose of the deceased and offer my condolences to the bereaved families." In particular, he mentioned Mr. A, a Kia Tigers professional baseball team official who was involved in the accident, saying, "While I was in the United States, I kept pressing the 'like' heart on Instagram photos of him having a good time with his family in Thailand."

Former professional baseball player and broadcaster Kim Byung-hyun mourned a friend who passed away in the Muan International Airport passenger plane accident. Kim Byung-hyun Instagram

He continued, "'It's nice to be abroad after a long time,' the phrase and the photos, and his appearance as a devoted husband made me smile," adding, "I also recall his simple and sincere self who was so happy to have a beautiful wife." He then wrote, "I'm sorry I couldn't treat you better, brother, and now I hope you stop watching baseball and live happily there with your beloved wife and your rabbit-like child," and "I sincerely pray for the repose of the deceased." The Mr. A mentioned by Kim Byung-hyun reportedly went on his first overseas trip to Thailand with his wife and their three-year-old son and was involved in this tragedy. Mr. A's son is known to be the youngest victim of this accident.

Earlier, on the previous day, Jung Woo-young, an SBS Sports caster, also expressed condolences regarding the Jeju Air passenger plane accident that occurred at Muan International Airport in Jeollanam-do and mourned Mr. A. The caster posted on SNS that day, saying, "He was so good at his job that everyone on our company's baseball broadcast team liked him," adding, "I was, of course, one of them." He continued, "We waited until the end for news of a miraculous survival, but with the news that everyone except the rescued had died, even the last hope disappeared," and "In the end, he did not return. Neither did his family," expressing his condolences. He added, "I comfort him, his surviving family members, and the Tigers," and "I want to comfort Gwangju, Muan, and our sorrowful Republic of Korea."

Meanwhile, on the morning of the 29th, a Jeju Air passenger plane from Bangkok, Thailand, crashed at Muan International Airport in Jeollanam-do, killing 179 of the 181 passengers on board. The survivors were two flight attendants who were seated at the rear of the aircraft at the time of the crash; they were rescued during the initial search by fire authorities. 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, which killed 225 people. The government has designated a seven-day national mourning period from that day until the 4th of next month. Joint memorial altars will be set up in 17 cities and provinces, including the Muan Airport site where the accident occurred, Jeollanam-do, Gwangju, Seoul, and Sejong. Early flag lowering at public institutions and the wearing of mourning ribbons by public officials have also been decided.