Families of Jeju Air Crash Victims Sue South Korean Minister and Airline Chief

SEOUL, 14 May 2025 (BSS/AFP) – The families of the victims of South Korea’s deadliest aviation disaster have filed a criminal complaint against 15 individuals, including a government minister and the CEO of Jeju Air, their lawyers confirmed on Wednesday.

The tragic incident occurred on 29 December last year, when a Boeing 737-800, carrying 181 passengers and crew, crash-landed at Muan Airport in the southwest of the country. The aircraft, en route from Thailand, struck a concrete barrier during a second landing attempt, exploded, and burst into flames, killing 179 people. It remains the worst aviation disaster on South Korean soil.

Jung Da-eun, one of the lawyers representing the victims’ families, told AFP that the complaint was filed with the Jeonnam Provincial Police.

In a statement, the families’ legal team described the crash as “not a mere accident but a severe public disaster caused by the negligent management of preventable risks.” They cited failures in safety management, breaches of duty of care, and negligence as grounds for the complaint, which has been lodged against the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the CEO of Korea Airports Corporation, and the CEO of Jeju Air.

The legal team also highlighted several unresolved questions surrounding the crash, including the decision to attempt a go-around immediately after a reported bird strike and the adequacy of the control tower’s response.

According to flight data, the pilot reported a bird strike on the initial approach before aborting the first landing attempt. The aircraft then crashed on its second attempt when the landing gear reportedly failed to deploy.

“We cannot help but feel deep anger and despair over the lack of progress, four months after the tragedy,” said Kim Da-hye, a family member, in a statement. “Having made the difficult decision to file a criminal complaint, representing the desperate hopes of the bereaved families, we will not give up and will continue our march towards the truth.”

Investigators from South Korea and the United States are still examining the causes of the crash, with potential contributing factors including the bird strike, faulty landing gear, and the presence of a concrete barrier at the runway’s end.

In response to the incident, South Korean authorities have ordered the removal or modification of similar barriers at multiple airports nationwide to prevent future tragedies.