The bereaved families point out the inadequacies of the previous investigation and express strong distrust regarding the determination of the accident’s cause. They claim that the core of the accident was not merely a collision with a runway embankment but the abnormal operating condition of the aircraft. The families’ persistent demand for the truth, like the internet meme ‘What’s important is an unyielding spirit,’ or ‘Jung Ji Jeong,’ is unlikely to be easily broken.

December 29 Mu’an Disaster: The Unending Battle for Truth

On April 28, the Mu’an disaster bereaved families held a press conference in front of the Boeing Korea headquarters, urging a reinvestigation into the accident. They criticized the previous investigation for only focusing on the final conclusion of an embankment collision, arguing that it was a complex disaster involving aircraft defects, pilot response, and the airline’s failure to conduct training.

In particular, the discovery of over 1,000 presumed human remains during the re-search operation, which has been ongoing for two weeks since the accident, once again reminds us of the tragedy of this disaster. The bereaved families are scheduled to receive the remains after DNA identification, and joint government forces, including police and military, have been deployed for the search, increasing pressure for truth-finding.

• Demand for Truth: The bereaved families demand a full reinvestigation into the complex causes of the accident, including aircraft defects, pilot response, and the airline’s failure to conduct training.
• Re-search for Remains: The re-search for remains, resumed more than a year after the accident, has uncovered over 1,000 presumed human remains, demonstrating the severity of the disaster.
• Accountability: The bereaved families criticize Boeing for prioritizing cost savings over safety and raise the possibility of aircraft defects.

1.5 Times Normal Speed? Questions About ‘High-Speed Fuselage Landing’

The most shocking claim made by the bereaved families is that the accident aircraft made a fuselage landing at 380 km/h, 1.5 times the normal landing speed. They mention the possibility of a ‘Loss of Thrust Control (LOTC)’ state occurring after a bird strike, where the aircraft’s speed became fixed regardless of pilot input, leading to a failure in speed control.

Furthermore, they point out that the Boeing 737, the accident model, was not equipped with a ‘Ram Air Turbine (RAT),’ the last emergency safety device that supplies power in an emergency. This contrasts with the ‘Miracle on the Hudson‘ in 2009, where all occupants survived because the aircraft was equipped with a RAT, raising suspicions that the presence or absence of a RAT could have critically influenced the outcome of the disaster.

• Abnormal Landing Speed: The families claim the accident aircraft made a fuselage landing on the runway at 380 km/h, 1.5 times faster than normal speed.
• Loss of Thrust Control (LOTC) Suspicion: They raise the possibility of Loss of Thrust Control, a state of uncontrollable aircraft speed, occurring after a bird strike.
• RAT Absence Controversy: Criticism arises that the absence of a Ram Air Turbine (RAT), an emergency safety device, on the Boeing 737 model led to a different outcome than the ‘Miracle on the Hudson.’

Jeju Air’s Responsibility and the Challenge of Re-emergence

Jeju Air announced its focus on establishing a foundation for re-emergence through ‘internal management’ in celebration of its 21st anniversary in 2026. Efforts are underway to strengthen future competitiveness, including the introduction of 7 new aircraft, fleet modernization, and accelerating digital transformation using AI. However, the prerequisite for all these efforts is ‘safety’ and ‘trust.’ If the truth of the Mu’an disaster is not clearly elucidated, it will be difficult for Jeju Air to gain public trust, no matter how much it strengthens its internal affairs and calls for re-emergence.

Especially since the company declared a ‘Consumer-Centric Management Declaration’ at its anniversary ceremony, vowing to prioritize safety management system enhancement and customer convenience, it must actively participate in a transparent and thorough reinvestigation of this disaster. Jeju Air must recognize this issue as its most important task, not only for its corporate social responsibility but also for resolving the overall safety complacency in the aviation industry.

• Internal Management and Re-emergence: Jeju Air is establishing a foundation for re-emergence through internal management in 2026 and is pursuing the introduction of new aircraft and fleet modernization.
• Restoring Safety and Trust: Uncovering the truth of the disaster is an opportunity for Jeju Air to regain public trust and demonstrate its management philosophy of prioritizing ‘safety.’
• Transparent Reinvestigation Cooperation: Jeju Air must listen to the voices of the bereaved families and actively cooperate in a transparent reinvestigation, keeping all possibilities open, including suspicions of aircraft defects.

The Jeju Air Mu’an disaster goes beyond a simple aviation accident, demanding deep reflection on corporate responsibility and the nation’s overall safety management system. A thorough investigation into the truth and punishment of those responsible must be carried out so that the cries of the bereaved families are not in vain. Only then can we honor the souls of the victims and create a society where such tragedies are never repeated.

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From April 22nd to 23rd, the airline hosted the ‘2026 Predictive Maintenance Global Airline Workshop’ at its headquarters in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. This marks the first time an airline, as an operator rather than an aircraft manufacturer, has hosted such a large-scale international workshop. The fact that over 70 maintenance experts from 20 major airlines worldwide gathered to discuss the future of aviation safety is proof that Korean Air is demonstrating strong leadership in this field.

Predictive Maintenance: Technological Innovation Beyond Simple Repairs

So, what exactly is aircraft predictive maintenance? It’s a cutting-edge maintenance method that goes beyond simple fault repair, predicting failures before they occur and taking proactive measures. It involves analyzing vast amounts of big data, including flight data, to predict when a component might fail, and then replacing or repairing it before a problem arises.

• Enhanced Safety: It maximizes the safety of aircraft operations by preventing unexpected failures in advance. This is crucial for both passengers and crew.
• Increased Operational Efficiency: By reducing unnecessary maintenance and intervening precisely when needed, it can significantly cut down on maintenance time and costs. This plays a key role in reducing flight delays and cancellations.
• Lifecycle Management: It allows for efficient management of aircraft asset lifecycles by optimizing replacement cycles based on the actual condition of components.

In fact, this technology has become an essential element for the survival of airlines. In a complex external environment, data-driven prediction has become a necessity, not an option.

Korean Air Sets a New Standard for the Global Aviation Industry

What makes this workshop even more significant is that Korean Air, as an ‘operating airline’ rather than an aircraft manufacturer, hosted the event. While predictive maintenance technology development has primarily been led by manufacturers, airlines ultimately possess and can analyze the most actual flight data. Based on this strength, Korean Air shared its know-how with global airlines, setting a new standard.

• Platform for Collaboration: Maintenance experts from 20 major airlines worldwide, including Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, All Nippon Airways (ANA), and Swiss International Air Lines, participated to share their predictive maintenance operations and big data utilization strategies. This will lead to industry-wide advancement beyond the capabilities of individual airlines.
• On-site Tour Opportunity: Participants directly visited Korean Air’s Incheon Engine Test Cell (ETC) and Flight Training Center to observe actual maintenance sites. Seeing real-world applications beyond theory must have provided significant inspiration for technological development.
• Proactive Leadership: Yoo Jong-seok, Korean Air’s Senior Vice President and Head of Operations & Safety and Security, emphasized in his keynote speech, “We must build strong partnerships among global airlines to make the aviation industry safer and more efficient.” This demonstrates a vision for the entire industry’s development, not just leading technology.

Given the active presentations on Korean Air’s self-developed fault prediction models and discussions on current issues, it’s natural to expect this workshop to lead to tangible changes beyond a mere gathering.

The Core of Future Aviation Safety: Data-Driven Prediction

The future of the aviation industry ultimately depends on data. How precisely the vast amount of flight data pouring in from countless sensors is analyzed and utilized will determine aircraft safety and efficiency. Predictive maintenance is precisely at the core of this technology. With the advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning technologies, complex pattern analysis and prediction, which were impossible in the past, have become feasible.

• AI-based Analysis: AI learns from decades of accumulated flight records and maintenance history to detect even subtle abnormal signs. This is an area difficult for human experience alone.
• Real-time Monitoring: Even during aircraft operation, the status of key components can be monitored in real-time, instantly detecting and warning of potential defects. This provides crucial information to pilots and air traffic controllers.
• Customized Maintenance: Considering that every aircraft’s operating environment and component usage history are different, optimized, customized maintenance plans can be established for each aircraft. This is the way to maximize maintenance efficiency.

This Korean Air workshop is an important signal heralding a paradigm shift in future aviation safety. If global airlines collectively pool their wisdom and advance technology, future air travel will become a much safer and more reliable experience. It has clearly laid out the direction the aviation industry needs to take.

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