[Aircraft Disaster] Bereaved Families Urge Ministry of Land for Family Participation, Fair Investigation, and Transparent Disclosure

The families of the victims of the Jeju Air disaster have called on the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to ensure the fairness and transparency of the investigation into the disaster, and to guarantee the right of the bereaved families to express their opinions.

On the 4th, the representatives of the bereaved families of the Jeju Air disaster held a press conference on the second floor of Muan International Airport, stating, "The victims are so shocked and saddened that they can barely compose themselves," and added, "Only a thorough investigation into the truth can help relieve the victims' sense of injustice and begin to heal the wounds of the bereaved families."

On the 4th, marking one week since the Muan Airport Jeju Air passenger plane disaster, Lee Hyuk, chairman of the bereaved family funeral committee, and lawyer Kim Jeonghee (Jeju Air Passenger Plane Disaster Legal Support Team, Gwangju Bar Association) issued a statement at the passenger terminal of Jeonnam Muan International Airport. Photo by Yonhap News

They continued, "It has been seven days since the disaster occurred, but the bereaved families are still in the dark about the activities and findings of the investigation team," and pointed out, "We are seriously concerned about whether the composition and operation of the aviation accident investigation team are being carried out properly, and whether the Aviation Accident Investigation Committee and the investigation team can conduct a fair and transparent investigation into the truth."

They also said, "There are suspicions that the installation and management of airport facilities were among the causes of the disaster and the expansion of the damage. In this case, the main party responsible is the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport," and added, "The investigation committee for finding the truth is organized by the Ministry, the chairperson of the investigation committee is a former official from the Ministry, and the standing committee member is the current Director General for Aviation Policy at the Ministry."

They went on to say, "As a result, those with direct interests in the Ministry are leading the discussions of the committee and forming the investigation team, which is currently conducting the investigation. This is essentially a self-investigation," and argued, "An independent investigation body must be established to guarantee independence, or at the very least, the chairperson and standing committee member should be excluded from the investigation."

The representatives stated, "A complete investigation into the truth of this disaster is the earnest wish of the victims and their families, and it will be the starting point for protecting all of us from the dangers of such disasters," and added, "The Ministry must make every effort to guarantee fairness and transparency by including experts recommended by the bereaved families' association or civil society in the investigation committee and investigation team, and all investigation procedures must be made transparently public."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.