South Korean police seek indictments over Jeju Air crash

South Korean police are seeking indictments for seven transport ministry officials following the 2024 Jeju Air crash at Muan International Airport. The accident, which killed 179 of the 181 people on board, occurred when a Boeing 737-800 failed to deploy its landing gear, skidded off the runway, and struck a concrete structure housing localizer antennas.

Investigators found traces of bird strikes in the engines, and the aircraft's black boxes ceased recording approximately four minutes before the impact. Experts have suggested that the concrete structure housing the antennas should have been constructed from more breakable materials to mitigate damage during such incidents.

The police have referred the seven officials to prosecutors, requesting charges of falsifying official documents. The officials allegedly produced media statements claiming the localizers were installed according to domestic and international regulations when that was not the case. If convicted, the officials could face up to seven years in prison. Authorities are continuing to investigate nearly 70 other individuals involved in airport operations or the installation of the localizers.