South Korean police move to charge seven transport ministry officials over fatal Jeju Air crash
Police in South Korea have asked prosecutors to indict seven officials from the transport ministry for allegedly falsifying documents related to the Jeju Air disaster that killed most of the 181 passengers.
South Korean police have submitted a request to prosecutors to charge seven transport ministry officials with falsifying official documents concerning the Jeju Air crash that claimed all but two of the 181 people on board. The officials allegedly issued media releases asserting that the localizer antennas at Muan International Airport met domestic and international standards, a claim police say is untrue. If convicted, each could receive a sentence of up to seven years.
The inquiry also encompasses about 70 additional persons involved in the localizer installation or airport operations. The accident involved a Boeing 737-800 whose landing gear failed, causing the aircraft to leave the runway, strike a concrete structure, and catch fire; investigators found traces of bird strikes in both engines and the flight recorders stopped four minutes before impact. An earlier draft report that blamed pilot decisions was retracted after strong objections from bereaved families and fellow pilots. The Transport Ministry declined to comment on the police announcement.
Why it matters
The case could expose governmental misconduct and affect public trust in aviation safety oversight.
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