At Muan International Airport in South Jeolla Province, where the Jeju Air passenger plane disaster that killed 179 people occurred, partial remains presumed to belong to victims and mobile phones are being discovered one after another. The bereaved families say the government handled the aftermath poorly, such as leaving the recovered items unattended for more than a year, and will hold a press conference in front of Cheong Wa Dae.

On the 8th, the 12·29 Muan Airport Jeju Air passenger plane disaster bereaved families association stated, “We will hold a press conference in front of the fountain at Cheong Wa Dae on the 9th to denounce the poor initial recovery and the state neglect of responsibility.”

The families are protesting after nine items of remains presumed to belong to victims were successively found during the ‘reclassification of passenger plane disaster debris’ underway at Muan International Airport since late February. At Muan Airport, along with the tail section of the crashed passenger plane, about 200 large sacks contain various items recovered at the scene.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board, and the Jeonnam Provincial Police Agency Forensic Science Unit of the National Police Agency have been jointly re-examining the debris since the 26th of last month. By the 6th, they had taken out all the items contained in 68 large sacks and carried out sorting work.

On the 26th of last month, a shinbone measuring 25㎝ was found, and DNA analysis by the National Forensic Service confirmed it as the remains of a victim. On the 5th, a bone fragment measuring 4㎝ was also found. On the 6th, seven additional items of remains presumed to belong to victims were found. The authorities are confirming identities by comparing with DNA from the families.

Personal belongings of the victims are also being found in succession. So far, personal effects including four mobile phones, clothing, and bags have been recovered, amounting to 684 large bags. Some aircraft debris is also included.

The authorities had stated that about a month after the disaster on December 29, 2024, they completed the recovery of bodies and belongings and handed them over to the families. Family members who visited the site are furious.

One family member pointed out, “They just stuffed items recovered at the site haphazardly into sacks. The fact that remains and personal belongings keep being found shows how sloppy the recovery was.”

The bereaved families association stated, “The irresponsible true face of the government, which was fixated only on ‘rapid recovery’ at the time of the disaster, has been laid bare,” and added, “The government must now acknowledge the errors made at the time and pursue a fact-finding effort that leaves not a single doubt.”