Police Conduct Search and Seizure at 9 Institutions Over Muan Disaster 'Concrete Mound'

Securing Design, Construction, and Management Records
44 Related Individuals Booked and Under Investigation

On the afternoon of the 20th, the Special Committee for the National Investigation into the 12·29 Passenger Plane Disaster and the bereaved families inspected the concrete mound (localizer) installed on the runway of Muan International Airport in Muan County, Jeollanam-do. Photo by Min Hyunki

The police investigating the 12·29 Jeju Air passenger plane disaster have launched additional compulsory investigations regarding the 'concrete mound (directional facility, localizer)' identified as a factor that worsened the damage.

The Jeonnam Provincial Police Agency's investigation headquarters for the Jeju Air passenger plane accident announced on January 22 that it had deployed 49 investigators in the morning to conduct search and seizure operations at 11 locations across 9 institutions, including the Seoul Regional Aviation Administration, Korea Airports Corporation, and companies related to the localizer.

This search and seizure was carried out to secure additional materials related to the directional facility (localizer) in the form of a concrete mound, which the passenger plane collided with and exploded during the accident.

The police are known to be securing documents and server records from the companies responsible for the design, construction, and supervision of the localizer, in order to verify the installation and management history of the facility and whether safety regulations were followed.

Previously, immediately after the accident, the police had conducted search and seizure operations at relevant institutions such as the airport corporation and had received necessary materials on a voluntary basis. However, for the purpose of substantiating the charges, they determined that more specific and supplementary materials were needed, leading to this additional search and seizure.

Currently, the police are investigating a total of 44 individuals, including current and former officials of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, air traffic controllers, and personnel responsible for bird strike prevention, on charges of occupational negligence resulting in death or injury, for allegedly neglecting the concrete mound and thereby exacerbating the damage.

A police official stated, "This is a procedure to supplement insufficient evidence based on the materials and testimonies secured during the investigation process so far," adding, "Through the analysis of the seized items, we plan to clearly determine whether there was negligence in the installation and management of the localizer."

Meanwhile, at around 9:03 a.m. on December 29, a Jeju Air passenger plane from Bangkok attempted an emergency landing at Muan International Airport in Muan County, Jeollanam-do, but collided with the localizer concrete mound outside the runway and exploded. This major disaster resulted in the deaths of 179 out of the 181 people on board.