In the wake of the devastating crash of a Boeing jet operated by Jeju Air on December 29, South Korea's transport minister, Park Sang-woo, announced plans to resign, expressing a profound sense of responsibility for the incident that resulted in the loss of 179 lives. The ill-fated flight, Jeju Air 7C2216, was making its approach to Muan International Airport when it belly-landed, overshooting the runway and subsequently bursting into flames after colliding with an embankment.

During a press briefing, Park stated, "I feel heavy responsibility for this disaster," reaffirming his commitment to addressing the situation before determining the appropriate timing for his resignation ([SCMP]).

In response to the incident, the transport ministry vowed to implement immediate improvements to the safety of airport landing systems. Experts have raised concerns that the embankment, intended to support a localizer antenna crucial for landings in low visibility, was both excessively rigid and positioned too close to the runway's end. Joo Jong-wan, the deputy transport minister for civil aviation, acknowledged deficiencies in safety measures concerning the embankment, admitting that while it complied with existing regulations at the time of construction, it failed to meet safety expectations ([Reuters]).

Following the crash, authorities commenced investigations into the construction of the embankment, including police raids on both Jeju Air and Muan International Airport. In a notable discovery, feathers were retrieved from one of the engines, supporting preliminary evidence of a bird strike preceding the accident. Two South Korean investigators have additionally traveled to the U.S. to analyze the damaged flight data recorder, a critical piece of evidence that, along with the cockpit voice recorder, will provide insight into the flight's final moments.

Reports indicated that investigators are still perplexed regarding the reasons behind the aircraft's failure to deploy its landing gear and the subsequent emergency declaration by the pilot, who attempted a second landing despite earlier communicating with air traffic control about the bird strike. Experts noted that bird strikes typically do not compromise landing gear functionality. As the investigation continues, officials aim to analyze the complete transcript from the cockpit voice recorder, debating the potential for public disclosure.