"Six Months After the Disaster,
No Truth, No Accountability"
The families of the victims of the 12·29 passenger plane disaster have officially requested a meeting with President Lee Jaemyung. They appealed for the president's direct involvement, stating that although six months have passed since the disaster, the truth has not been uncovered and those responsible have not been held accountable.
On January 18, black ribbons, wedding veils, and memorial messages were hung on the fence at the site of the 12·29 passenger plane disaster at Muan Airport. Photo by Song Bohyun
On June 10, the bereaved families said, "We remember the president's promise when he visited Muan Airport at the time of the accident and said he was sorry." They pointed out, "Although this was the worst disaster in the history of domestic aviation, some of the bodies were recovered only after 48 days, and the cause has still not been identified." The families raised issues regarding the structure of the runway at Muan Airport, the failure to address bird strikes, and the possibility of defects in the aircraft model involved in the accident. They emphasized, "Since Jeju Air operates 39 planes of the same model, the maintenance history and flight records must be disclosed transparently."
The families further stated, "Just like the Sewol ferry disaster and the Itaewon disaster, this incident should also be recognized as a social disaster," and criticized, "A special law without a thorough investigation into the truth is meaningless." They added, "An investigation by the fact-finding committee alone is not enough. The president must step in directly for us, who cannot leave the closed Muan Airport."
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