Indictments sought for seven officials over Jeju crash

South Korea’s Jeju Air 737-800 crash at Muan International Airport on December 29, 2024, killed 179 of 181 people aboard, with investigators examining a bird strike and a concrete localiser structure near the runway as possible factors. Police say seven Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport officials falsified statements asserting the localiser equipment met regulations, and have referred them to prosecutors for possible charges of document falsification. Investigations are expanding to nearly 70 other individuals involved in installing or operating the localisers and the airport, while authorities have not yet announced a formal cause of the disaster. A key point of contention is whether the runway’s end navigation structure was designed to break away, as required by safety standards, and whether alterations to the runway safety zone were properly considered. Prosecutors are also reviewing the broader responsibility of state agencies in the disaster, with files transferred from police to the prosecutor’s office for prosecution consideration. The aviation investigation board’s initial findings from the previous year had suggested bird strikes on both engines and pilot actions, but those conclusions remain contested amid ongoing inquiries.