December 30, 2025
SEOUL – The government and bereaved families marked the first anniversary on Monday of the Jeju Air passenger plane disaster in which 179 people died, describing the crash as a systematic failure rather than an isolated accident.
About 1,200 people attended the memorial, including families of the victims and officials from the government and the National Assembly, laying flowers and observing a moment of silence.
In a video message played during the ceremony, President Lee Jae Myung apologized on behalf of the government, acknowledging the pain endured by the victims’ families and pledging institutional change.
“What is needed is real action, not formalities or hollow words,” he said, adding that the government would take responsibility for preventing a repeat of the tragedy.
Lee said the administration would strengthen the independence and expertise of the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board, while also expanding support for the victims’ families, including physical and mental health care, legal assistance, and help with living costs.
The ceremony was held at Muan International Airport, where Jeju Air Flight 2216 crashed during an emergency landing on Dec. 29 last year. The aircraft was forced to land after a bird strike and overran the runway before colliding with a concrete mound adjacent to the airfield. The impact and subsequent fire killed all on board except two crew members, making it one of the deadliest aviation disasters in South Korea’s history.
Senior political leaders from across the aisle attended the memorial, underscoring the scale of the tragedy and its political resonance. They included National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, Democratic Party leader Jung Chung-rae and Floor Leader Kim Byung-kee and People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk.
In his memorial address, Woo said delays in uncovering the truth behind the crash could not be justified.
“A truth that remains stalled in uncovering the facts cannot be excused or defended for any reason,” he said. “The unjust deaths of 179 lives must not end as mere sacrifice. The National Assembly will fulfill its responsibility to ensure that does not happen.”
Woo also cited pending legislation aimed at strengthening the independence of accident investigations, saying a bill to transfer the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board to the prime minister’s office was nearing passage at a plenary session. He added that the legislature would continue to monitor conditions even after the revision to ensure the reform results in substantive, rather than symbolic, independence.
“This is not about special treatment,” said Kim Yu-jin, head of the victims’ families group. “An investigation without cover-ups, participation without exclusion, and accountability without exception is the most basic duty of the state.”
She added that for the families, time has effectively stopped. “9:03 a.m. on Dec. 29, 2024 — that moment is where our lives remain,” she said.
Despite the ongoing investigation, the families have repeatedly criticized what they describe as one-way communication and a lack of transparency from authorities. Tensions intensified in July, when the government released a preliminary report that prompted complaints from families that officials appeared to focus disproportionately on pilot error.
Investigators have confirmed that the plane had suffered a bird strike, but other potential contributing factors remain under review.
These include human error, the design and layout of the airport, and the placement of a concrete structure near the runway — an issue that has drawn particular scrutiny from the victims’ families.
One of their central demands has been the independence of the accident investigation body, which currently operates under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. A legislative revision to restructure the board as an independent body under the prime minister has recently passed a National Assembly committee.
Separately, the National Assembly on Dec. 22 launched a special committee to conduct a state-level investigation into the crash. The panel is expected to carry out on-site inspections, summon officials and experts for hearings, and engage directly with the victims’ families.
“This memorial is not the end, but the beginning,” Kim Yu-jin said. “We will not stop until the reason 179 people never came home is fully revealed.”
During the ceremony, Kim delivered a box of handwritten letters from bereaved families to Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, who attended as the government’s representative.
Following the memorial, families visited the crash site on the runway. At 2 p.m., a minute-long siren sounded across Gwangju and South Jeolla Province, as mourners stood in silence to remember the victims.