SEOUL: South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Monday apologised to the families of victims of the Jeju Air crash that killed 179 people a year ago, pledging to uncover the full truth behind the country’s deadliest aviation disaster and push for meaningful reforms.
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In a message released on the anniversary of the tragedy, President Lee said the state bore responsibility for protecting citizens’ lives and safety and acknowledged the deep pain still felt by bereaved families. He vowed that the government would not allow unanswered questions to linger over the Dec 29, 2024 crash.
The Jeju Air aircraft crash-landed at Muan International Airport in the country’s southwest before slamming into an embankment at the end of the runway. The impact triggered a massive fireball, killing all but two of the 181 people on board and shocking the nation.
One year ago today, a Jeju Air plane flying from Bangkok to South Korea with 181 people on board crashed on landing, smashing into a barrier and bursting into flames, leaving all dead except two people pulled from the burning wreckage. pic.twitter.com/dysJ5gnWCR
— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) December 29, 2025
Relatives of the victims have repeatedly criticised authorities over delays in the investigation and the lack of a final report explaining what went wrong. A preliminary report issued in January by the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board said both engines had sustained bird strikes, but families and experts have said this explanation alone does not fully account for the scale of the disaster.
Questions remain about potential safety lapses, the design and layout of the runway at Muan airport, and the actions taken by the pilots in the final moments before the crash. These unresolved issues have fuelled frustration among victims’ families, who are demanding transparency and accountability.
“The disaster clearly revealed systematic problems and limitations in our society,” President Lee said, stressing that the government must move beyond symbolic gestures. “What is needed now is not empty words, but real change and action.”
In response to the tragedy, South Korea’s parliament has been reviewing proposals to overhaul the aircraft accident investigation board to ensure greater independence, stronger expertise and improved credibility.
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Later on Monday, families of the victims were scheduled to hold a memorial service at Muan International Airport to honour those who lost their lives and to renew calls for the truth to be fully revealed.