Abusive Comments and Hate Speech Directed at Accident Video Informants
False Information and Secondary Harm Related to the Disaster Also Spreading
Police to Conduct Strict Investigation Due to Reckless Malicious Comments
In relation to the Jeju Air passenger plane disaster that occurred at Muan International Airport, fake news and malicious comments are circulating online, prompting calls for caution.
On the 31st, Yonhap News reported that Mr. A (48), who runs a restaurant near Muan International Airport, has been suffering from various conspiracy theories and unfounded speculation after he reported a video capturing the accident scene on the 29th. The video filmed by Mr. A clearly shows the aircraft hitting the outer wall after landing on the runway. Subsequently, many media outlets used Mr. A's footage to report on the accident situation.
Firefighters are searching for fuel items at the site of the Jeju Air passenger plane collision and explosion accident that occurred at Muan International Airport, Jeonnam, 30 days ago. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung
However, online conspiracy theories spread, suggesting that "Mr. A might have known about the accident in advance." On the 30th, Mr. A told a media outlet, "After the report, some unknown people called me asking how much I received for providing the footage," adding, "This situation is so absurd." He continued, "While preparing for business the day before, I looked up at the sky and found the aircraft's movement unusual compared to usual. The plane flew unusually low and had a smaller turning radius than normal, so I thought 'something is wrong' and decided to film it. I run a store near the airport and often watch takeoffs and landings, but I had never seen such a scene before."
Mr. A then went out of his store and climbed onto the rooftop, adding, "At that time, the plane was about to touch the ground." Having witnessed the accident closely, Mr. A said he lost sleep and became emotional during the interview. He said, "Whenever I close my eyes, I see the plane exploding. Even now, it makes me choke up," and explained, "I feel sorry for the bereaved families, but I hope this video helps clarify the cause of the accident." Additionally, false information and secondary victimization posts targeting the disaster victims, as well as the captain and first officer who piloted the aircraft, are spreading online.
Both Captain and First Officer Are Male, Aircraft Registration HL8303 Returned
Immediately after the accident news broke on the 29th, many posts appeared on an online community speculating that the captain and first officer who piloted the plane were female. Posts without evidence such as "The captain has been a captain since 2019, which coincides with Jeju Air's promotion of female captains," and "Is the captain a woman?" were posted. According to Jeju Air's data, both the captain and first officer of the accident aircraft are confirmed to be male. In particular, Captain A is a former Air Force commissioned officer who joined Jeju Air in 2014 and was promoted from first officer to captain in March 2019. Captain A's total flight hours amount to 6,823 hours. According to Jeju Air's accident briefing, a first officer must have more than 3,500 flight hours and 3 to 4 years of service before being promoted to captain.
Kim I-bae, CEO of Jeju Air, is giving a briefing on the Muan International Airport passenger plane accident at the Mayfield Hotel in Gangseo-gu, Seoul on the 29th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min
Fake news related to the aircraft involved in the accident is also spreading. On social media and elsewhere, there are claims that the aircraft involved in this accident (HL8088) is the same as the aircraft (HL8303) that returned due to a bird strike over Osaka, Japan, in November 2022. However, this is not true. According to Jeju Air's announcement, the registration number of the aircraft involved in this accident is HL8088, while the aircraft that returned over Osaka is HL8303. Although both planes are B737-800 models, they are different aircraft. Jeju Air operates a total of 39 B737-800 aircraft of the same model as the one involved in this accident. Airlines assign unique registration numbers to each aircraft for management purposes.
Meanwhile, posts blaming the deceased or causing secondary harm because the airline was a low-cost carrier (LCC) have also appeared, prompting calls to refrain from such behavior. One netizen pointed out, "Everyone should recognize that an accident can happen at any time, even tomorrow. Please refrain from speaking lightly." Another netizen commented, "It is very sad that fake news and conspiracy theories arise over an accident where so many lives were lost."
Police to Strictly Investigate Internet Posts Insulting Victims of Passenger Plane Disaster
A joint memorial altar to mourn the victims is being set up on the 30th at Muan Sports Park near Muan International Airport in Jeonnam, where 179 people died in the Jeju Air passenger plane disaster. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung
Meanwhile, regarding the Jeju Air passenger plane disaster that claimed 179 lives, the police have taken action against netizens who write malicious posts, malicious comments, and false information. On the 30th, Yonhap News reported that the Cyber Crime Investigation Unit of the Jeonnam Provincial Police Agency announced an investigation into insulting internet posts targeting the victims on charges including spreading false information and defamation. They plan to actively punish offenders through monitoring online communities even without victim reports.
Since immediately after the disaster, some internet communities have posted or commented content mocking or belittling the bereaved families, causing public outrage. On a domestic community, a post titled "Only the bereaved families at Muan Airport are lucky" written the day before the disaster occurred sparked controversy. The post contained a brief message mocking the families, saying, "They must be secretly smiling thinking about the compensation." Additionally, comments disparaging a specific region appeared on major portal sites reporting the accident, focusing on the accident location, Muan International Airport in Jeonnam. Due to the continuous indiscriminate malicious comments, some on social media have demanded that comment services be suspended on articles related to the disaster.
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