South Korea plans to change the concrete barriers used for navigation at seven airports across the country following a plane crash that killed 179 people in December.
Seven airports will also change their runway safety zones following a review of all South Korean airports following the deadliest crash in South Korea's history.
The Jeju Air flight was returning from Thailand after Christmas when it made an emergency landing at Muan Airport, crashed into a concrete barrier at the end of the runway and exploded.
The cause of the crash is still unknown, but aviation safety experts have previously said that without the structure, the number of casualties could have been much lower.
The concrete structure is equipped with a navigation system known as a localizer to assist the aircraft in landing. South Korea's Ministry of Transport said the system could be introduced at other airports in the country and overseas as well.
Safety inspectors have now identified nine of these systems and say they need to be changed. These include the systems at Muan Airport and Jeju International Airport, the second largest airport in the country.
They are considering replacing concrete foundations with lighter structures or burying them underground.
Officials added that the existing concrete mound at Muan International Airport will be completely removed and the localizer “will be reinstalled using a fragile structure.”
It was discovered that Muan International Airport's operating manual, uploaded in early 2024 after the crash, stated that the concrete embankment was too close to the end of the runway.
A document prepared by the Korea Airports Corporation recommended reconsidering the location of equipment during expansion plans.
Chris Kingswood, a pilot with 48 years' experience who was flying the plane involved in the crash, previously told the BBC: “Obstacles within a certain distance of the runway are fragile. Need. Aircraft attack them and they break.
Apart from the fencing, seven airports will also change their runway safety zones after an investigation found they were shorter than the recommended 240 meters (787 feet).
According to reports, the runway safety zone at Muan Airport was about 200 meters long.
Runway safety area refers to an area adjacent to or at the end of a runway designed to limit damage to an aircraft if it overshoots, undershoots, or deviates from the runway. The purpose is
The 179 passengers on board the Boeing B737-800 ranged in age from three to 78, but the majority were in their 40s, 50s and 60s. Only two flight attendants survived.
Investigators are still looking into the cause of the crash, but the pilot had warned of the danger of a bird strike before aborting the initial landing. The plane crashed on its second landing attempt when its landing gear failed to raise.
A later examination of the black box revealed that the flight data and cockpit voice recorders had stopped recording four minutes before the disaster.
