South Korea will replace concrete navigation barriers and extend runway safety areas at seven airports following December’s Muan plane crash that killed 179 people.
The Jeju Air flight exploded upon impact after striking a concrete barrier at the runway’s end. Investigators are still probing the cause, but experts say the rigid structure worsened casualties. The transport ministry has identified nine localiser systems needing modification, with plans to replace them with frangible structures or relocate them underground.
Runway safety zones, which fell short of the recommended 240 meters at several airports, will also be extended. The reforms come after a 2024 manual had already flagged safety concerns at Muan.
