"ARAIB Disclosed Only 2 Out of 10 Information Requests After December 29 Passenger Plane Crash"

CVR, FDR, and Communication Records Remain Undisclosed
"Passive Information Disclosure... Trust Must Be Restored"

Jeong Junho, Member of the Democratic Party of Korea (Gwangju Bukgu Gap)

The Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board (ARAIB) disclosed only 2 out of 10 pieces of information related to the December 29 passenger plane crash. Since the accident, there has been only one instance of external communication.

According to materials submitted by the ARAIB to Jeong Junho, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea (Gwangju Bukgu Gap) and a member of the National Assembly’s special committee investigating the passenger plane crash, from the time of the December 29 crash until January 15, bereaved families, police, and the Pilots’ Labor Union Federation requested information disclosure 10 times. However, the ARAIB disclosed information only twice.

During the same period, the chairperson of the ARAIB participated in only one official external communication event, such as a briefing related to the accident, which has led to criticism that the board has been passive in transparent information disclosure and external communication.

After the accident, the bereaved families made five requests, the police four, and the Pilots’ Labor Union Federation one, but the only materials disclosed were related to the "11th Bereaved Families Briefing Materials" in September of last year, and this happened only twice.

The ARAIB decided not to disclose information on eight occasions through formal resolutions. The undisclosed items include: ▲ CVR (Cockpit Voice Recorder), ▲ FDR (Flight Data Recorder), communication records, activity logs, etc., ▲ Engine disassembly and detailed inspection reports, ▲ Accident investigation briefing materials and video footage from a Thai airport, ▲ Inquiries regarding the circumstances of CVR disclosure, and ▲ All documents related to the construction and improvement projects at Muan Airport.

Since the accident, the chairperson of the ARAIB has also participated in only one official external communication event with bereaved families and the media, which was the "Comprehensive Engine Inspection Results Briefing for Bereaved Families" held at Muan Airport in July of last year.

Jeong Junho stated, "The ARAIB has been far too passive in disclosing information," adding, "This information is neither personal data nor state secrets, and a significant amount of material has already been submitted during this parliamentary investigation. There is no reason not to transparently disclose information to the bereaved families, and such actions are rightly subject to criticism."

He further emphasized, "Although it is regrettably late, I hope that the ARAIB will take this parliamentary investigation as an opportunity to disclose accident investigation information transparently and restore public trust."