With the investigation into the fatal Jeju Air crash at Muan International Airport (MWX) taking longer than expected, South Korean police have prohibited Jeju Air CEO Kim E-Bae from leaving the country.
“The investigation team imposed a travel ban on two individuals, including Jeju Air CEO Kim E-bae,” a Korean police official from South Jeolla Province told AFP News agency, in a report seen by Barron’s.
The government of South Korea has decided on a one-week extension to the inspection period for all Boeing 737-800 aircraft operated by domestic airliners.
The inspections, originally set to finish on January 3, 2025, will now be completed by January 10, 2025, to allow for additional checks, as reported by the Korean Herald. Officials will assess the maintenance and overall functioning of all Boeing 737-800 aircraft operated by domestic airliners.
The initial inspection process began on December 30, 2024, with the main goal of examining whether airlines are adhering to the regulations for the Boeing model. Additionally, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) has declared that it plans to conduct “rigorous safety inspections” of Jeju Air following repeated landing gear issues.
On January 2, 2025, South Korean police began a raid at Muan International Airport, the Jeju Air office and other locations, as part of an investigation into the crash.
The Jeonnam Provincial Police conducted search and seizure operations at the airport in southwest South Korea, the Seoul office of Jeju Air and the Muan office of the Busan Regional Office of Aviation.
On December 29, 2024, a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 flying from Bangkok, Thailand, came off the runway and burst into flames after crashing into the outer wall of Muan International Airport during a belly landing. 179 of the 181 people on board were killed.