On December 29, the families of victims from the Jeju Air plane disaster urged for the truth behind the incident to be uncovered.
About 40 bereaved family members held a related gathering in front of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport building in Sejong City on the 16th. They released a statement containing a total of seven demands.
They pointed out, "This incident has caused the largest loss of life in the history of domestic aviation, yet it is being forgotten without any investigation into the truth or punishment of those responsible." They meticulously addressed the cause of the accident, asserting, "There were requests for improvements in Dundeok before the airport opened in 2004 and 2007, but they have been ignored for over 20 years."
They also raised concerns about Jeju Air's insufficient training for bird collision preparedness, the possibility of defects in the aircraft involved, overall management shortcomings, and the risk of concealing the truth. The bereaved families urged the Ministry of Land to "reveal the direct cause of the disaster and the reality of Dundeok," and demanded, "Establish an independent committee for a fair investigation."
They proposed transparent information disclosure, adding, "Immediately release the black box FDR and CVR data. Inform the bereaved families about the status of the investigation." Regarding the special law passed in the National Assembly last month, they stated, "There needs to be a substantial amendment reflecting the contents of uncovering the truth, punishing the responsible parties, and preventing recurrence."
They also mentioned, "We will not overlook Jeju Air's mailing of final settlement proposals to the bereaved families," asserting, "We will not stop until the truth is revealed." Meanwhile, the families of the victims filed a complaint on the 13th against 15 individuals, including the Minister of Land, the CEO of Jeju Air, and the CEO of Korea Airports Corporation, on charges of violating aviation safety laws.
<Photo Credit: Bereaved Families>
