Muan International Airport

Muan International Airport is the location of a fatal Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 crash in December 2024, which resulted in 179 deaths. The incident has brought the airport into the news due to revelations from a South Korean state auditor's report. The report alleges that the transport ministry prioritized cost reduction over safety for over two decades, leading to the approval of improper airport safety structures. Specifically, the aircraft, struck by birds, belly-landed and overran the runway. A subsequent government-ordered computer simulation indicated that a concrete wall at the end of the runway was a major contributing factor to the fatalities. The simulation suggested that if the wall had been constructed of easily breakable materials, all passengers and crew might have survived. This incident highlights serious concerns about aviation safety standards and oversight in South Korea, placing Muan International Airport at the center of the investigation and raising questions about future safety improvements.