South Korea to Remove Concrete Barriers at Airports Following Deadly Plane Crash

The decision comes after a Jeju Air crash in December killed 179 people, highlighting safety concerns at multiple airports.

A Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 crashed on December 29, 2024, at Muan Airport, killing 179 people in South Korea's deadliest aviation disaster.
The plane collided with a concrete barrier at the end of the runway, which experts say violated international aviation safety standards.
South Korea's Ministry of Transport announced safety upgrades at seven airports, including replacing concrete barriers with lighter, breakable structures and extending safety zones.
Preliminary investigations revealed the crash may have been caused by bird strikes, which damaged the engines, and landing gear issues during the second landing attempt.
Both black boxes stopped recording four minutes before the crash, complicating the investigation into the exact sequence of events.