Korea’s government has disclosed that Muan airport’s runway will remain closed at least until 18 April, following the fatal Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 crash on 29 December.
The transport ministry says the closure is being extended in order to take “follow-up measures” in the aftermath of the accident.
“Timing of the resumption of airport operations is currently fluid,” it adds. “But the government plans to implement swiftly necessary measures to ensure safe and normal airport operations in the future.”
The three-month closure of runway 01/19 for “work in progress” is confirmed in a NOTAM for Muan published on 21 January.
It has not specified the nature of the work but the government had recently disclosed the results of a safety inspection which showed seven airports had navigation systems built on concrete foundations or platforms.
The 737’s collision with the Muan localiser antenna platform, as the jet overran runway 19, destroyed the aircraft. Only two survivors emerged from the 181 on board.
Several Korean media channels have reported that police are investigating the death of a former head of the Korea Airports Corporation, who served between 2018-22.
President Son Chang-wan had never been under investigation in relation to the accident, according to a Jeonnam police agency official cited by Korean broadcaster SBS. It also quotes a Gyeonggi police official as stating that the death is not being treated as suspicious.
