The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport stated that the azimuth facility (localizer) at Muan International Airport was indeed installed since the airport's opening, and they would review whether to improve regulations in the future. The localizer is a facility that sends signals to aircraft to guide them to land accurately on the runway. The fuselage of the accident aircraft collided with the concrete mound that housed this facility, leading to the disaster.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the main department overseeing aviation safety, said at a briefing hosted by Deputy Minister Ju Jong-wan at the government complex in Sejong on the morning of the 31st that “the localizer has been installed since the airport's opening” and added that they would disclose later whether it is possible to secure the related blueprints.
Kim Hong-rak, the ministry's airport policy officer, further explained, “It is true that the localizer was upgraded last year,” and added that they replaced or improved the existing facilities.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport emphasized that the installation of the localizer adhered to the relevant regulations. Through separate reference materials, the ministry stated, “Equipment or obstacles installed outside of the end safety area (199m), like the localizer at Muan Airport, are not subject to regulations requiring them to be mounted on breakable stands,” and confirmed that the Muan Airport localizer was installed according to the relevant regulations.
Additionally, the ministry reiterated that there are no conditions specified by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards regarding the height and material of the localizer, and pointed out that they met both domestic and international standards related to the installation.
During the briefing, the ministry also confirmed that the length of the end safety area at Muan Airport meets the minimum standards. Deputy Minister Ju stated, “According to international standards, the minimum distance for the end safety area is 90m, and the recommended distance is 240m.” According to the ministry's notice, the end safety area must ensure at least 90m from the end of the landing strip, with a recommended standard set at 240m. The ministry's position is that there is no issue with Muan Airport, where this area is set at 199m.
The ministry explained that the localizer was installed beyond the end safety area, at approximately 250m, which includes a 60m distance of the landing zone. A ministry official said, “There are three or four airports in South Korea like Muan, Sacheon, and Gyeongju where the length of the end safety area does not reach 240m.” Specifically, the end safety areas are operated at 92m in Pohang Gyeongju Airport, 122m in Sacheon Airport, 200m in Ulsan Airport, and 240m in Jeju Airport.
Regarding the localizer facility, identified as one of the factors that exacerbated the casualties in the accident, the ministry plans to review whether to improve the regulations. Deputy Minister Ju stated, “We will inspect the localizer installation regulations with experts and prepare improvement measures if necessary.”