The South Korean Minister of Infrastructure and Transport has announced his resignation due to last year’s deadly airplane crash. The crash involved a Boeing 737-800 operated by Jeju Air at Muan Airport.
Minister Park expressed his regret at a press conference, stating he would resign once the current political crisis, referencing suspended President Yoon, is resolved. He also announced enhancements to airport landing systems, which experts believe may have contributed to the crash.
Footage showed the aircraft’s landing gear failed to deploy, causing it to overrun the runway, collide with a wall, and catch fire, resulting in 179 fatalities, with two crew members surviving. Aviation experts noted issues with an embankment at the runway’s end, which housed a ‘localizer’ antenna.
The embankment was reportedly too hard and too close to the runway. The vice minister of aviation acknowledged potential deficiencies in the safety measures of the embankment.
The government is reviewing whether regulations need tightening. The South Korean police are investigating the crash’s causes, including the embankment structure’s role, as reported by Yonhap News Agency.
Police recently searched Jeju Air’s office and Muan Airport. During the investigation, feathers were found in one of the aircraft’s engines, but experts claim bird strikes rarely affect landing systems.
Two police inspectors have traveled to the United States to analyze the damaged flight data recorder, which, along with the cockpit voice recorder, contains crucial information about the crash.
Source: NOS