A Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 crashed at Muan International Airport on December 29, 2024, resulting in 179 fatalities and only two survivors, making it South Korea’s deadliest air disaster. In response, Acting President Choi Sang-mok ordered an emergency safety inspection of the nation’s airline operations and declared a seven-day mourning period. The cause of the crash, which the pilot indicated may have involved a bird strike, remains under investigation. Jeju Air pledged support to victims’ families and reported the aircraft was insured for $1 billion. Meanwhile, the airline’s stocks fell sharply amid ongoing political turmoil in South Korea.
