New Year's celebrations scaled down in mourning for plane crash victims amid political turmoil

SEOUL, December 31 (AJP) - Various events and festivals scheduled for New Year's Eve have been either canceled or scaled down as South Korea observes a mourning period this week, following last Sunday's fatal crash of a Jeju Air flight in Muan, South Jeolla Province. The tragic accident further dampened the festive mood just ahead of ushering in the Year of the Wood Snake, as the country is weathering political turmoil, after a motion to impeach President Yoon Seok Yeol was

December 31, 2024

Arrest warrant issued for Yoon over martial law debacle

SEOUL, December 31 (AJP) - A court on Tuesday issued an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol over his aborted martial law debacle earlier this month. This is the first time in the country's history that an arrest warrant has been issued for an incumbent president. The Seoul Western District Court approved the arrest warrant requested by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) against him on charges of insurrection and abuse of power as Yoon

December 31, 2024

What caused fatal crash of Jeju Air flight?

SEOUL, December 30 (AJP) - A Jeju Air flight exploded during a landing attempt at an airport in southwestern South Korea on Sunday, claiming 179 lives. The deadliest disaster in the country's aviation history has sparked widespread speculation, just ahead of a full-scale investigation to determine why the plane crashed into the runway and what led to the failure of its landing gear. The passenger plane, which departed from Bangkok, crashed while attempting an emergency landing at Muan

December 30, 2024

Quiet acts of kindness, solidarity emerge at plane crash site

SEOUL, December 30 (AJP) - A gesture of solidarity that gained prominence during protests against President Yoon Suk Yeol has quietly extended to the scene of South Korea’s most devastating aviation tragedy in years. On Monday morning, a handwritten sign appeared at a cafe near Gate 4 on the second floor of Muan International Airport, offering solace to the grieving: “Volunteers and bereaved families, please enjoy an Americano or cafe latte. It’s prepaid.”

December 30, 2024

Jimmy Carter's complex legacy on Korean Peninsula

SEOUL, December 30 (AJP) - Throughout his career as both president and private citizen, Jimmy Carter maintained a complex and sometimes contentious relationship with the Korean Peninsula, challenging South Korea's military government over human rights and engaging in unprecedented diplomacy with North Korea. Carter, the 39th U.S. president (1977–1981), died on Sunday at his home in Plains, Georgia, at the age of 100. During his presidency, Carter's campaign promise

December 30, 2024

About 140 victims identified in fatal plane crash as efforts to verify remaining passengers continue

SEOUL, December 30 (AJP) - The bodies of around 140 victims from a Jeju Air plane that crashed in southwestern South Korea on Sunday were identified on Monday, while efforts to verify the remaining victims continue. Most of their identities were confirmed through fingerprint recognition. The deadly crash carrying 181 people exploded while attempting to land at Muan International Airport in South Jeolla Province the previous day, claiming 179 lives and leaving two survivors. Rescu

December 30, 2024

Investigators seek arrest warrant for Yoon

SEOUL, December 30 (AJP) - Investigators are seeking an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol over his aborted martial law debacle earlier this month, as he continues to refuse to appear for questioning. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), an independent agency established to root out corruption in the government, said on Monday that it had filed a request for an arrest warrant the previous day for Yoon on charges of insurrection and abuse of p

December 30, 2024

Biden sends condolences to victims of Jeju Air crash

SEOUL, December 30 (AJP) - U.S. President Joe Biden and firs lady Jill Biden sent a message of condolence over the tragic crash of a Jeju Air plane in South Korea on Sunday, which killed 179 people. "Jill and I are deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life that occurred..... in Muan," Biden said in a statement. "As close allies, the American people share deep bonds of friendship with the South Korean people and our thoughts and prayers are with those impacted b

December 30, 2024

Bird strike warning issued minutes before fatal plane crash

SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) - The control tower at Muan International Airport warned of possible bird strikes just minutes before a plane crash Sunday that left most of the 181 people aboard feared dead, transportation officials said. The ill-fated Jeju Air plane received the bird strike warning at 8:57 a.m., and the pilot declared a "mayday" emergency one minute later, according to Joo Jong-wan, director general of aviation policy at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and

December 29, 2024

Airline says crashed plane showed no mechanical issues before flight

SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) - The Jeju Air aircraft that crashed at a South Korean airport on Sunday, killing dozens, showed no signs of mechanical problems before the fatal flight, the company's chief executive said. The Boeing 737-800 jet crashed at Muan International Airport at 9:07 a.m. while attempting an emergency belly landing due to an apparent landing gear failure. Most of the 181 people aboard were feared dead after it skidded off a runway and slammed into a wall, burstin

December 29, 2024