At approximately 9:03 a.m. on the 29th, a Jeju Air passenger plane made an emergency landing at Muan International Airport and overshot the runway, colliding with a hump-shaped localizer, causing a fire. Of the 181 passengers on board, 179 were killed. By 5 p.m. on the 30th, 32 hours after the accident, the government stated it was "checking" the localizer installation and structural regulations. A localizer is a facility that provides signals to confirm direction on the cockpit instruments during aircraft takeoffs and landings.
The hump-shaped localizer identified as a factor that increased the severity of the Muan Airport accident was confirmed to be installed not only at Muan Airport but also at Yeosu and Pohang airports. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport explained that "concrete structures exist in other domestic airports" and noted, "There is no standardized form for these structures." When asked about the regulations on these structures, the ministry deflected by saying, "We did not bring the materials."
At a briefing on the Jeju Air passenger plane accident at Muan Airport, held at the government complex in Sejong, a representative from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport was asked, "Is a concrete hump a common facility at other airports after a plane belly landings?" They responded, "There are concrete structures (localizers) at Yeosu Airport and Pohang Gyeongju Airport as well."
In response to the question "Concrete azimuth doesn't seem to be typical. What about other airports?" it was said, "Azimuth facilities are a type of aviation safety facility that provide signals from below for verifying direction on instruments during aircraft takeoffs and landings." They continued, "Various forms exist based on which foundation the azimuth facility is placed on at each airport." Additionally, "Concrete structures are one of them," and "There is no fixed standardized format."
To the question "What form do azimuth facilities at major airports like Gimpo and Incheon take?" the response was, "At Gimpo Airport, azimuths are installed on the ground surface. In Yeosu and Muan, they are elevated on humps."
When asked about the architectural structure of the localizer hump at Muan Airport, the response was, "There are no specific materials."
Some suggest that the government is avoiding giving a clear explanation about concrete structures. According to the United States Federal Aviation Administration standards, localizers installed beyond runways should not be built as non-breakable towers, which does not align with concrete structures.
Regarding this, an aviation industry official stated, "Obstacles like localizers should be designed to cause minimal damage to aircraft upon impact," and added, "In this accident, Muan Airport seems to have not properly adhered to that guideline."
Concerning the question of whether there were safety measures like foam spraying during the belly landing, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said, "In the past, foam was sometimes sprayed during emergency belly landings to help them slide more easily, but it has caused more sliding issues and environmental problems, so such regulations do not exist."