Memorial Service Held for Victims of Jeju Air Tragedy
On January 18, a memorial service was held at Muan International Airport to honor the victims of the December 29 Jeju Air tragedy. During the ceremony, Yoon Na-ri, daughter of the late Yoon Seok-ho, expressed her disbelief over her father's passing, recalling their last conversation where he invited her to visit. She lamented, 'If I had known it would be our last call, I would have gone to see him.'
Kim Da-hye, who lost her father Kim Young-jun in the accident, also shared her grief, stating, 'I pressed the call button over 100 times, praying to hear my dad's voice again, only to face his cold body the next morning.'
Kim Sung-cheol, who lost both his wife Park Hyun-ra and daughter Su-rim, read a heartfelt letter, saying, 'I lost my everything. Please hold hands in heaven and wait for me.' The emotional atmosphere was palpable as family members struggled to contain their tears.
The memorial took place in the second-floor lounge of Muan Airport, a site that had previously served as a hub for updates on the search and recovery efforts following the tragedy. The incident occurred when Jeju Air flight 7C2216, arriving from Bangkok, collided with the runway's outer wall during landing, resulting in the deaths of 179 out of 181 passengers.
The service was attended by over 700 family members, along with dignitaries including Acting President Choi Sang-mok and National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-sik. The event began with a traditional Jindo Shikim-gut performance to soothe the spirits of the deceased.
As the ceremony progressed, family members took turns laying flowers in memory of their loved ones, while a large LED screen displayed the names of the victims and heartfelt messages left by mourners.
After the memorial, the families returned to the crash site, where Acting President Choi promised to thoroughly investigate the cause of the accident and ensure transparency in the ongoing inquiries.
