Police investigating bullet found in Korean Air flight attendant's bag

Two airport security officers patrol inside Incheon International Airport in July 1, 2020 in Incheon. [NEWS1]

Police are investigating a bullet found inside a Korean Air flight attendant’s bag at Incheon International Airport earlier this week, authorities said Thursday.

The live 7.62-millimeter-caliber round was detected inside a cabin crew member's carry-on bag at around 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday during a security screening at a checkpoint in Terminal 2.

The flight attendant was scheduled to depart for Bangkok, Thailand on the same day.

Upon the discovery, the military’s Defense Counterintelligence Command, the airport’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal team and police were dispatched to the site and intercepted the bullet. Police allowed the flight attendant to fly overseas and will question her further once she returns to the country.

According to Korean Air, the crew member's pouch with the bullet came from packed items in a move from her family home, and she put the pouch inside her carry-on bag to "take a look at it later."

The airline added that an “internal investigation found [her behavior of bringing in a bullet] was unintentional.”

Korean Air added that it would actively cooperate with the police investigation and reinforce flight security and safety education for its employees.

In March, a cleaner discovered a 9-millimeter hunting bullet underneath a passenger seat inside a Korean Air aircraft in Incheon and reported it to security authorities.

BY BAE JAE-SUNG, LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]