In the wake of the deadliest aviation disaster in the country’s history when a Jeju Air jet smashed into the runway at Muan airport in December killing 179 people, South Korea will replace concrete barriers and expand runway safety zones at seven airports, the BBC reported.
On its return from Thailand after Christmas on December, the flight crashed after an emergency landing when the plane’s landing gear failed to deploy and the plane collided at the end of the runway with a concrete structure housing a localizer, an essential navigation system.
Air safety experts opined after the fact that the high death toll could have been mitigated if the structure had been designed differently.
Authorities have since identified nine such systems, including those at Muan and Jeju International Airport (the country’s second-largest airport), that require modification. They plan to replace the concrete bases with lighter, breakable structures or bury them underground. Officials confirmed that the current concrete mounds at Muan airport would be removed entirely, and the localiser would be “reinstalled using breakable structures.”
An operating manual for Muan International Airport, published in early 2024 by Korea Airports Corp, had already flagged the barrier as being too close to the runway’s end. The document recommended revising its placement during a planned airport expansion, which had not yet occurred.
Runway safety areas at seven other airports were found to be shorter than the recommended 240m. At Muan, the safety area measured just 200m. These areas are designed to minimize damage to aircraft in cases of overshoots, undershoots, or veering off the runway. Officials confirmed that these safety areas would be extended to meet international standards.
The investigation of the December crash is still ongoing. Investigators are examining several factors, including a bird strike reported by the pilot, failed landing gear deployment, and the sudden stoppage of flight data and cockpit voice recorders four minutes before the crash. The Jeju Air flight was attempting its second landing when the tragedy occurred.
The crash claimed the lives of passengers aged between 3 and 78, most of whom were in their 40s, 50s, and 60s. Only two cabin crew members survived.
Pilot Chris Kingswood, with 48 years of experience, highlighted the issue of obstacles near runways: “Obstacles within a certain range and distance of the runway are required to be frangible, meaning they should break upon impact with an aircraft.”
South Korea’s transportation ministry confirmed the findings and pledged to enhance safety measures at airports to prevent similar disasters in the future.