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Mon, July 4, 2022 | 09:10
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Heather Cho arrested over 'nut rage'
'땅콩회항' 조현아 구속…"사안 중대·조직적 은폐 시도"
Posted : 2014-12-30 23:04
Updated : 2014-12-31 09:11
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Heather Cho
Heather Cho

By Kim Se-jeong

Former Korean Air Vice President Heather Cho was arrested by prosecutors Tuesday over her actions in the "nut rage" incident, six days after they requested a court to issue a warrant for her arrest.

The Seoul Western Prosecutors Office sought her arrest for disrupting the flight schedule, assaulting two flight attendants, coercing them and disturbing their work while onboard a plane bound for Incheon International Airport from New York's John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport on Dec. 5.

Along with her, a Korean Air senior manager, surnamed Yeo was also arrested, according to the prosecution. Yeo is accused of forcing two flight attendants to give false statements about the incident and ordering the chief flight attendant to delete an initial email report from his laptop.

Earlier on Tuesday, Cho, the eldest daughter of the Korean Air Chairman Cho Yang-ho, appeared at a court in Seoul where judges were reviewing the requested arrest warrant.

Journalists asked her questions outside the court building, but she kept silent. On her way out, she kept her head down, but at one point, wept. Among the crowd was an angry woman who attempted to pull her hair from the back.


'Nut rage' Cho set to make comeback
'Nut rage' Cho set to make comeback
2018-03-27 15:45  |  Companies

Cho has been under investigation since she ordered the plane to return to the gate at JFK to drop off the chief flight attendant.

She was offered a bag of macadamia nuts by a junior flight attendant, but grew angry at her because the nuts were served in a bag, not on a plate. She yelled at the flight attendant and the chief flight attendant, demanding an in-flight service manual. Finally, she ordered the pilot to return the plane back to the gate and told the chief flight attendant to get off. She initially denied assaulting the flight attendants physically, but a first-class passenger confirmed witnessing her actions.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transportation began investigating to see if she disturbed operations on the flight, and the prosecution took up the case as allegations rose that she had physically assaulted flight attendants and ordered senior managers to destroy evidence against her.

The "nut rage" incident forced her resign from all the posts she used to hold. She was the senior vice president of Korean Air and the president of KAL Hotel Network, Wangsang Leisure Development and Hanjin Travel.

The incident revealed corruption between Korean Air and the transportation ministry.

The ministry inspectors who undertook the initial investigation turned out to be former Korean Air employees. It was also revealed that the Korean Air representatives were present when flight attendants were questioned.

The ministry was also accused of sharing investigation information with Korean Air executives. The ministry announced Monday it will punish eight staff members involved in the investigation.

The incident was widely reported in Korea and overseas; and helped macadamia sales here soar.





'땅콩회항' 조현아 구속…"사안 중대·조직적 은폐 시도"

'땅콩 회항' 사태로 물의를 빚은 대한항공 조현아(40·여) 전 부사장에 대한 사전 구속영장이 30일 발부됐다.

이날 조 전 부사장에 대한 구속 전 피의자 심문(영장실질심사)를 맡은 서울서부지법 김병찬 영장전담 판사는 '혐의 내용에 대한 소명이 이뤄졌다'며 '사건의 사안이 중하고 사건 초기부터 혐의 사실을 조직적으로 은폐하려는 시도가 있었던 점 등에 비추어볼 때 구속의 필요성이 인정된다'고 영장 발부 사유를 밝혔다. 

김 판사는 증거인멸 및 강요 혐의를 받는 대한항공 객실승무본부 여모(57) 상무의 구속영장도 발부했다.  

이로써 26일 처음 구속된 김 조사관을 비롯해 조 전 부사장과 여 상무 등 검찰이 수사에 착수한 직후 피의자로 입건한 3명이 모두 구속되면서 수사도 한층 탄력을 받게 됐다.

조 전 부사장은 지난 5일(미국 현지시간) 대한항공 KE086 일등석에서 견과류 서비스가 마음에 들지 않는다는 이유로 승무원과 사무장을 상대로 폭언·폭행을 하고 램프리턴(항공기를 탑승 게이트로 되돌리는 일)을 지시, 사무장을 강제로 내리게 한 혐의(항공보안법상 항공기항로변경 등)를 받고 있다. 

이날 영장실질심사에서 검찰과 변호인은 폭행 여부와 램프리턴이 조 전 부사장의 사실상 지시에 의한 것인지 등 주요 쟁점을 둘러싸고 치열한 공방을 벌인 것으로 전해졌다.

검찰은 특히 조 전 부사장이 전후 사정을 여 상무로부터 수시로 보고받고 사실상 묵인한 정황이 상당 부분 확인된 만큼 증거인멸의 우려가 있어 구속 수사가 불가피하다고 강조한 것으로 알려졌다. 

조 전 부사장에 이어 심문을 받은 여 상무는 사건 직후 직원들에게 최초 보고 내용을 삭제하라는 지시를 내리는 등 증거를 없애려고 한 혐의를 받고있다.

여 상무는 국토부 김모(54·구속) 조사관과 수십차례 연락을 주고받으면서 입수한 국토부 조사 내용을 조 전 부사장에게 보고하고, 박창진 사무장에게는 '회사에 오래 못 다닐 것'이라는 취지로 협박한 혐의도 받고 있다. 

검찰은 특히 기내에서 벌어진 상황은 대체로 규명됐지만 증거인멸과 관련해 조 전 부사장과 여 상무가 여전히 지시를 주고받은 적이 없다고 강하게 부인하고 있어 검찰은 이 부분에 대한 혐의 입증에 주력할 방침이다. 

동시에 여 상무가 사건을 은폐·축소할 수 있었던 것은 결과적으로 국토부 공무원들의 도움 없이는 불가능했을 것으로 보고 유착관계 의혹에 대해서도 수사를 확대할 예정이다.

조 전 부사장과 여 상무는 서울 남부구치소에 수감될 예정이다. (연합뉴스)
Emailskim@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
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