Citizen Memorial Rally at Bosingak, Seoul on December 20
Memorial Altars Set Up Nationwide for One Week Starting December 22
"Lack of Independence and Expertise in the Investigation Board"
On the afternoon of the 15th, at Jeonil Building 245 in Dong-gu, Gwangju, Kim Yujin, the representative of the bereaved families, is speaking at the press conference held by the Bereaved Families' Council of the December 29 Muan Airport Jeju Air Passenger Plane Disaster. Photo by Min Chanki
On the first anniversary of the December 29 Muan Airport Jeju Air passenger plane disaster, a memorial ceremony will be held to comfort the bereaved families, uncover the truth, and prevent the recurrence of such accidents.
The Bereaved Families Council of the December 29 Muan Airport Jeju Air Passenger Plane Disaster held a press conference at Jeonil Building 245 in Dong-gu, Gwangju on the 15th and announced that memorial events will be held under the theme "Remember 12·29, It Could Have Been Prevented. Lives Could Have Been Saved. The Truth Can Be Revealed" at Muan International Airport, Gwangju, Seoul, and other locations starting from December 20.
On December 20, a citizen-led memorial rally will take place in front of Bosingak in Jongno-gu, Seoul, with the participation of bereaved families and citizens. On December 22, memorial altars will be set up at Muan International Airport and nationwide for a week, and a roundtable discussion aimed at restoring the rights of disaster victims will be held at Jeonil Building 245 in Dong-gu, Gwangju.
Two days before the first anniversary of the disaster, on December 27, a citizen memorial rally will be held at the May 18 Democracy Square in Dong-gu, Gwangju. On December 28, a religious ceremony to honor the victims will take place at Muan International Airport.
Additionally, from December 22 to 28, a pilgrimage program within Muan International Airport will be open to the public, and photographs and other records documenting the disaster will be exhibited throughout the airport.
On the day of the first anniversary, December 29, a memorial ceremony jointly organized by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Bereaved Families Council will be held on the second floor of Muan International Airport.
At the press conference, the bereaved families urged for a prompt investigation, stating that the truth has not been revealed even after a year since the disaster occurred.
Kim Yujin, representative of the Bereaved Families Council, said, "It has been almost a year since the disaster, but key evidence such as the CVR (cockpit voice recorder), FDR (flight data recorder), and air traffic control records have not been released, and only time is passing by. We hope that people will remain interested not only in the outcome but also in how the investigation process is progressing, so that the disaster is not quietly settled and forgotten."
Attorney Kim Sungjin, a member of the legal support team for the Bereaved Families Council, also stated, "The Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board is subordinate to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, which undermines its independence, and the board also lacks expertise, as seen in its interim announcement that seemed to attribute the accident to pilot error. Despite the enactment of a special law, the release of the original black box data and air traffic control communication records requested by the bereaved families is still being denied."
Meanwhile, on December 10, a partial amendment to the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Act, which would transfer the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board-the body investigating the Jeju Air disaster-from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to the Prime Minister's Office, passed the standing committee with bipartisan support.
The bereaved families have consistently argued that, due to the structural characteristic of the investigation board being under the direction and supervision of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, which is responsible for aviation and railway policy, it is difficult to ensure neutrality and independence in the investigation, and that the board should be independent from the ministry.
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