MPs vote to investigate crash amid accusations from victims’ relatives of cover-ups and delays
South Korea’s parliament has launched an independent inquiry into the deadliest air disaster on its soil amid accusations of investigation delays and cover-ups of last year’s Jeju Air crash.
On 29 December 2024 all but two of the 181 people onboard a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 died when it crashed at Muan international airport, 288km south of Seoul, after reporting a bird strike during landing.
The aircraft, flying from Bangkok, belly-landed successfully but then struck a concrete embankment at the runway’s end and exploded into flames.
The 18-member parliamentary committee will spend 40 days investigating the crash, with the possibility of extension if needed, including whether government agencies tried to downplay or conceal evidence during the official inquiry.
