A tragic plane crash at Muan International Airport has thrown South Korea into a state of utter grief. A Jeju Air flight, with 181 passengers and crew on board from Bangkok, crash-landed on Sunday, smashing into the barrier and bursting into flames. Authorities fear that 179 out of the 181 onboard have perished, which could make it the country’s deadliest aviation disaster in decades.
South Korea Plane Crash Occurs Amid Political Chaos
The crash occurred when South Korea was embroiled in one of its worst political crises. Acting President Choi Sang-mok, who was only appointed two days earlier following the impeachment of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, faced the monumental task of handling the situation. Visiting the crash site, Choi declared the site a special disaster zone, promising a thorough investigation into the disaster and mobilizing all resources for recovery and the care of victims.
Early reports point out a bird strike and adverse weather as probable causes. In the video footage, it was seen that the plane skidded on its belly before colliding with a wall and catching fire. Fire officials said that the aircraft was “almost completely destroyed.” By mid-afternoon, only two survivors, who were both flight attendants, were rescued, and 120 bodies were recovered.
Political Instability Deepens
The crash unfolds against South Korea’s deepest political crisis in decades. President Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached on December 14 after a controversial martial law declaration. Acting Prime Minister Han, who temporarily took over, was also stripped of his powers by parliament, leaving Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok to lead as the country’s third acting president in less than a month.
Now, South Korea faces an uncertain political future: Yoon is still waiting for a Constitutional Court ruling on his impeachment, the punishment for which ranges from imprisonment for life to the death penalty. If upheld, it will trigger a by-election within 60 days and may make Yoon South Korea’s shortest-serving president.
The aviation disaster and the political turmoil have put the nation in mourning, plunging it into uncertainty that tests its resilience in many aspects.
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