Concrete mounds similar to the structure blamed for the Jeju Air disaster remain operational at eight Korean airports, posing ongoing safety risks, according to an audit released Thursday.
The Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) found that 14 structures at airports including Muan lack the "frangible" design required by International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards—meant to break apart on impact to minimize aircraft damage.
The December 2024 Jeju Air crash at Muan International Airport killed 179 people when the passenger jet struck a concrete localizer mound at the end of the runway.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport improperly installed localizers—navigation devices that guide aircraft alignment—as solid concrete structures at eight airports when runway elevation differences arose during construction, the audit found. The ministry then wrongly certified these structures as compliant for up to 22 years after transferring management to Korea Airports Corporation (KAC).
KAC compounded the problem during its 2019-2024 modernization program, reinforcing rather than replacing seven non-compliant structures at five airports including Muan, the audit revealed.
The BAI identified flawed procurement practices as a contributing factor. KAC restricted bidding to information technology contractors rather than requiring structural engineering expertise, leading to deficient designs.
The audit also exposed inadequate bird strike risk assessments. Airport operators evaluated collision risks based solely on bird sightings and strikes within airport boundaries, excluding migratory species such as Baikal teal, bean geese, and greater white-fronted geese that pose significant hazards.
Environmental assessments had predicted 35,000 Baikal teal near Muan airport at the time of the accident, but operators omitted them from risk evaluations because no on-site sightings or collisions had been recorded.
The BAI identified 30 violations and irregularities, requesting disciplinary action against three ministry officials who improperly approved the Muan localizer project. The audit ordered the transport ministry to extend runway end safety areas at nine airports and directed KAC to retrofit structures with frangible designs and revise contractor qualification requirements.