Seven South Korean transport ministry officials have been referred to prosecutors for allegedly issuing misleading information about the Muan airport localizer struck by the Jeju Air (7C, Jeju) flight that crashed on December 29, 2024.
On August 25, 2026, police referred the officials on suspicion of creating and using false official documents, Yonhap News Agency reported. Four allegedly drafted or reviewed two briefing documents distributed on December 30 and 31, 2024, while three held supervisory roles.
Police allege the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) officials knew the localizer installation did not comply with relevant domestic and international requirements but nevertheless stated that it had been installed in accordance with regulations.
Investigators said MOLIT's accident response team had reviewed International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Document 9157 and related rules before issuing the material. Concerns raised internally over possible non-compliance were allegedly omitted from the documents distributed to journalists.
The seven referrals are separate from a wider criminal investigation in which another 67 people have been booked on suspicion of professional negligence resulting in death or injury. Police said conclusions on accident-related liability may depend on the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board's final findings.
As previously reported by ch-aviation, MOLIT said in January 2025 that the localizer's positioning complied with regulations, although it acknowledged that the concrete structure was not ideal. The government subsequently decided to replace concrete structures at seven airports.
The accident involved B737-800 HL8088 (msn 37541), which overran the runway following a gear-up landing and struck the reinforced-concrete structure supporting the localizer. Of the 181 people aboard, 179 were killed.
