Jeju Province Urgently Inspects Jeju Airport Amid Flight Cancellations Due to Heavy Rain and Strong Winds

Acting Governor Cheonsoo Park Oversees Crowd Control and Passenger Safety in Airport Terminals
Emergency Measures Implemented as Strong Winds and Heavy Rain Are Forecast to Continue Through the 10th

Park Cheonsu, Acting Governor of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, made an emergency visit to Jeju International Airport at 1:30 p.m. on the 9th to directly inspect the status of aircraft operations and passenger safety measures. He initiated full-scale safety management efforts, including the commencement of Level 1 emergency duty at the provincial Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters. Photo by Jeju Special Self-Governing Province

As heavy rain and strong wind warnings were issued across Jeju, resulting in more than 3,000 stranded travelers and mass flight cancellations, Acting Governor Cheonsoo Park of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province urgently visited Jeju International Airport at 1:30 p.m. on April 9 to directly inspect the status of flight operations and passenger safety measures. He also initiated emergency level 1 duty at the provincial disaster safety countermeasures headquarters, launching comprehensive safety management efforts at the provincial level.

According to Jeju Special Self-Governing Province and Korea Airports Corporation Jeju Airport, strong winds blowing over Hallasan Mountain have caused continuous disruptions to flight operations since the morning of April 9. The airport authority has issued a “caution” alert, which is declared when more than 3,000 reserved passengers are expected to be affected by flight cancellations.

The Jeju Regional Meteorological Administration forecasts that, by the morning of April 10, Jeju will experience strong winds of 40 to 50 knots (an average wind speed of more than 25 meters per second), along with more than 250 mm of rain in mountainous areas and over 180 mm in mid-mountain and southern regions. As a result, further flight cancellations are inevitable. With flight schedules rapidly changing according to the shifting weather conditions, and worsening weather at other airports compounding the situation, flight cancellations and delays for routes to and from Jeju are expected to increase further.

During his visit to the airport, Acting Governor Park received detailed reports on flight cancellations, delays, and facility inspections from Jeju Airport Director Jang Se-hwan. He then personally moved through the crowded departure halls from the first to the third floor to check the current situation of stranded passengers. After quickly identifying the situation in which group travelers, such as school trips, were unable to depart, he strongly urged airlines to enhance cooperation to reduce congestion in crowded areas.

Acting Governor Park also confirmed that all preliminary safety measures had been completed, including securing outdoor railings and addressing the risk of falling objects at airport construction sites in preparation for strong winds. He repeatedly stressed the importance of passenger safety above all else, urging relevant agencies not to let down their guard and to continue responding with vigilance amid the severe weather.

At the same time, Jeju Province is conducting safety inspections of outdoor billboards, livestock facilities, and greenhouses to minimize local damage. The province is also enforcing restrictions on coastal fishing access and tightening safety precautions such as securing moored fishing boats at ports and harbors in anticipation of high waves. Residents and tourists were asked to strictly avoid entering dangerous areas such as rocky shores and breakwaters, and to promptly secure vulnerable facilities.

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