Police launched an investigation after a post was uploaded to an online anonymous community saying the poster would carry out a "suicide bombing" at Gimpo Airport.
The Gwanak Police Station in Seoul said on the 19th that it has begun investigating the author in connection with a case involving a threatening post on an online community that said the poster would "blow oneself up at Gimpo Airport."
On this day, on Blind, an anonymous community for office workers, a person believed to be an aircraft captain posted the coordinates of Gimpo Airport along with a message hinting at a suicide bombing.
Korea Airports Corporation (KAC) said it had been briefed on the case and was checking the details. The Gimpo Airport Police are also investigating whether the poster is an actual captain or an airline employee.
The author was said to have written the post out of dissatisfaction with the corporate consolidation (merger) process between Korean Air Lines and Asiana Airlines.
The case draws attention as it coincides with tensions arising during the organizational integration following Korean Air Lines' acquisition of Asiana Airlines. In Dec. last year, Korean Air Lines acquired about 131,57 million new shares of Asiana Airlines (a 63.9% equity stake), bringing Asiana Airlines in as a subsidiary. Since then, it has accelerated preparations for integration by appointing executives in key institutional sectors such as safety, personnel, finance, flight operations and maintenance.
However, ahead of the launch of the integrated airline, internal conflicts continue at both companies over personnel placements and workspace. With the organization being restructured around Korean Air Lines, most key roles have gone to those from Korean Air Lines, and a significant number of Asiana Airlines employees have been moved to administrative work.
In response, employees of Korean Air Lines describe it as "Mang-siana living in a rented room," while employees of Asiana Airlines say, "To be honest, it's scary and hard to come to work," underscoring rising tensions.
The two companies are integrating service manuals and operating standards with the goal of launching the integrated airline next year. But managing the organization and easing internal conflict have emerged as key challenges in the integration process.
A labor union official at Korean Air Lines said the union has asked management to minimize the relative sense of deprivation among Korean Air Lines employees after integration while guaranteeing fair opportunities for Asiana Airlines employees.