South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has, for the first time, acknowledged a critical safety lapse linked to the deadly Jeju Air crash at Muan International Airport in December 2024, after a government-commissioned simulation concluded that all passengers could likely have survived under compliant safety conditions.
According to documents released by lawmaker Kim Eun-hye, simulations conducted for the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board found that the Boeing 737 would have slid along the runway and come to a stop without catastrophic damage if it had not struck a concrete mound supporting the airport’s localizer. The aircraft was attempting a belly landing after a bird strike disabled its landing gear.
The analysis showed that, on flat ground without obstacles, the aircraft would likely have skidded around 630 metres before stopping, with no serious injuries. Even scenarios assuming a breakable (frangible) localizer structure resulted in limited aircraft damage and survivable outcomes. Instead, the aircraft collided with a solid concrete structure, triggering an explosion and fire that killed 179 of the 181 people on board.
In a reversal of its earlier stance, the Land Ministry admitted that the localizer installation did not comply with airport safety operation standards. Under rules established in 2003 and in force since 2010, navigation structures located within 240 metres of a runway end must be designed to break on impact and be installed as low as possible. Although the localizer was upgraded in 2020, it remained mounted on a concrete mound, despite the project including a requirement to review frangibility measures.
Immediately after the crash, the ministry had argued the structure was legal, citing a 150-metre minimum distance. The newly disclosed findings contradict that position and highlight a failure to implement required safety modifications during the 2020 upgrade.
Victims’ families welcomed the disclosure, calling the crash a clear case of human error rather than an unavoidable accident. They demanded an official apology, full transparency of investigation materials, legal reforms to ensure independent accident probes, and a comprehensive parliamentary inquiry.
The opposition People Power Party has called for a full criminal investigation, warning that a special counsel probe should follow if accountability is not established. Lawmakers also criticised gaps in existing legislation, noting that airport navigation structures are not explicitly covered by the Serious Accidents Punishment Act.
The Jeju Air crash, which occurred on 29 December 2024, remains one of South Korea’s deadliest aviation disasters in decades. The official investigation into the accident is still ongoing.