South Korea has begun a renewed search at the site of the Dec. 29, 2024, Muan International Airport passenger plane disaster, the Ministry of National Defense said Monday.
The government decided to carry out a large-scale, precision search of the crash site and surrounding areas in consultation with the bereaved families, aiming to ensure that no remains or personal belongings are left unrecovered.
According to the ministry, the operation kicked off Monday and will continue for about two months. Around 250 personnel from among civilian, government, military and police authorities are to be mobilized, including 100 police officers, 100 troops, 20 firefighters and some 30 officials from related agencies, local governments and families of the victims.
The disaster was South Korea's deadliest aviation incident in recent years, killing 179 of the 181 people aboard the passenger aircraft. The plane had been attempting to land after flying from Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok.
The move came after reports that additional human remains were found around the site, prompting complaints from families.
On March 12, President Lee Jae Myung ordered a thorough investigation into why some remains had not been recovered during the initial response and how they had remained at the site for more than a year.
Authorities said the search would be conducted comprehensively, centering on embankments near the crash site and expanding to cover both on the airport grounds and in surrounding areas, including perimeter fences and zones near runway access lights.
In particular, the Defense Ministry’s Agency for Killed in Action Recovery and Identification, along with civilian excavation experts, will provide technical guidance and training on recovery and identification procedures to enhance the thoroughness of the operation.
Yoon Chang-ryeol, head of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, said the full-scale search is intended to address shortcomings in the initial recovery efforts and ensure that even the smallest trace of victims is not overlooked.
“The government will conduct a meticulous and transparent search through an all-of-government approach involving civilian, military and police authorities, in order to deliver results that the bereaved families can trust,” Yoon said.
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