Family members of Jeju Air crash victims shave heads in protest over credibility of interim probe results

Family members of the victims of the deadly December 2024 Jeju Air plane crash stage a protest against an upcoming hearing on the accident's interim investigation results near the presidential office in central Seoul, Monday. Yonhap

A group of family members of victims of last year's deadly Jeju Air plane crash shaved their heads Monday in protest over the government's interim probe results of the tragedy, raising questions about the credibility of the probe and calling for an independent investigation.

An investigation committee under the transport ministry is scheduled to hold a two-day hearing from Thursday to announce the interim results of the fatal accident on Dec. 29 last year at Muan International Airport that claimed 179 lives.

A group representing the victims' family members and other civic groups staged the protest outside the presidential office compound in central Seoul, accusing the committee of not being transparent.

"The transport ministry has packaged the disaster as being handled well and blocked all information through the 'self-investigation' and 'black-out investigation' with the committee," said Kim Yoo-jin, who heads the group of bereaved family members.

The group called for the investigation to be handled by an independent body under the prime minister and for the hearing's postponement, arguing the probe cannot be trusted as the committee falls under the transport ministry, which is in charge of aviation policy.

Five people shaved their heads during the protest, with some participants later clashing with police as they sought to enter the presidential office to meet President Lee Jae Myung.

The group plans to stage overnight rallies outside the presidential office through Wednesday.