Former, current gov't officials excluded from Jeju Air crash probe to ensure fair investigation
Transport Minister Park Sang-woo speaks with families of victims of the Jeju Air crash at Muan International Airport, Muan, Jan. 5. Yonhap
The government has excluded former and current senior officials from participating in an investigation into the recent Jeju Air plane crash to avoid conflicts of interest and ensure a fair and objective probe, the transport minister said Tuesday.
Transport Minister Park Sang-woo announced the plan to exclude such figures from the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board, which is tasked with investigating the fatal Dec. 29 crash that claimed 179 lives.
"To clearly determine the cause of the accident, we will continue the investigation in compliance with international norms and domestic laws to ensure fairness," Park said during a press briefing held at the government complex in the central city of Sejong.
Park explained that Chang Man-hee, chairman of the board and a former ministry official, and Joo Jong-wan, head of the ministry's aviation policy office serving as a standing board member, have been excluded from all board activities.
Furthermore, Park said data transcription of the cockpit voice recorder from the crashed B737-800 aircraft has been completed and that the separate flight data recorder from the plane was transported to the United States on Monday for analysis.
Regarding the controversy surrounding the localizer structure at Muan International Airport, which has been identified as a factor that exacerbated the accident, Park said authorities are well aware of concerns and will swiftly improve the structures at airports in consideration for safety. (Yonhap)