Ed Lax airport security
Security concerns at Incheon International Airport have surfaced after two Chinese transfer passengers managed to break through an immigration checkpoint and flee the nation’s main airport on Jan. 21 without any security intervention. The pair easily made their way to Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, but were eventually apprehended four days later. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport should take this breach as an opportunity to examine security operations at the airport.
Some experts say that the incident was a result of the airport’s negligence on updating security systems while focusing too much on quality of service. It is well known that Incheon has topped previous service assessment surveys. From 2005 through 2014, the airport was ranked first on the Global Airport Service Quality list.
But it seems that its security systems fall way short of international standards. In particular, it seems that the airport security staffers lack professionalism and a sense of duty. The airport said that one security guard standing nearby did not notice the Chinese pair going through an unlocked automatic glass door at a security checkpoint.
Lax morale among staff is becoming more prevalent at the airport, which is causing deterioration in the airport’s overall services. The security breach, which was undetected for 24 hours, came only weeks after Korea’s flagship airport came under fire for a luggage delay that occurred over the New Year holiday. A prolonged leadership vacuum at Incheon International Airport Corporation (IIAC) is only worsening the airport’s problems. The first priority for its next leader, who should be an expert in the airport business, must be to better train and discipline its staff.
The airport also needs to tighten security to prevent terrorists from entering Korea. Amid heightened alert against terror attacks, airports in major destination in the U.S. and Europe have been investing heavily on beefing up security. Incheon should be doing the same. Highly-trained terrorists can surely take advantage of such security holes if a pair of regular Chinese travelers seeking work here were able to break in and roam around for days without getting caught. It is time for the Korean authorities to craft security measures that can respond to terrorist activities. The latest reports from the National Assembly show that Korea is no longer safe from terrorists. Foreigners who have ties to the Islamic State (IS) were denied entry into Korea last year after they were found to have been in possession of bomb-making material.