South Korea’s National Assembly has voted to establish a special parliamentary committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding a catastrophic airline crash that occurred nearly one year ago. The decision follows mounting criticism from victims’ families, who have accused official bodies of deliberate delays and attempts to obscure the full facts of the incident.
The tragedy took place in late December 2024 when a passenger jet, arriving from Thailand, crashed during its landing approach at an airport in the country’s southwest. The aircraft, which had reported striking birds, initially touched down on the runway but subsequently collided with a concrete structure at its end, resulting in a fire that proved fatal for nearly all on board.
Lawmakers overwhelmingly approved the formation of an 18-member investigative panel, granting it a 40-day mandate to examine the crash. This mandate includes scrutinizing whether state agencies involved in the initial inquiry attempted to minimize or conceal evidence. The committee is empowered to call officials from relevant ministries, the airport operator, and the airline for testimony and to demand documents.
The move comes after the government’s own accident investigation board recently canceled planned public hearings, a decision that further inflamed tensions with grieving relatives. Families have long expressed profound distrust in the official investigation, arguing it lacks independence because the lead agency reports to the same government ministry responsible for airport safety—including the maintenance of the concrete barrier implicated in the crash.
The parliamentary probe will focus on several key areas: the management of bird hazards at the airport, potential aircraft malfunctions, the design and placement of the runway structure, and any alleged interference in the investigation process. A separate police investigation into several former and current transport officials is already underway.
This case has become emblematic of a persistent national struggle for transparency and accountability following large-scale disasters. The crash investigation has been marred by public disputes, including family-led disruptions of official briefings and conflicts over access to evidence, echoing controversies from other major tragedies in recent South Korean history.
International aviation regulations require the publication of an interim report by the upcoming anniversary of the crash if a final determination is not yet ready. The newly launched parliamentary inquiry now adds a significant layer of official scrutiny to a case that continues to raise serious questions about oversight and institutional responsibility.