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President’s private jet takeoff sparks questions, but Yoon confirmed not aboard

Published: 10 Dec. 2024, 11:42

KIM JEE-HEE
[email protected]

A screen capture from flight tracker AirNav Radar shows the flight time and route of President Yoon Suk Yeol's private jet. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

The president's private jet took off from Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, on Tuesday morning, initially raising questions about whether President Yoon Suk Yeol was on board.

However, the Presidential Office and the Ministry of Defense said Tuesday that Yoon was not on the plane.

The Center for Military Human Rights Korea, a nongovernmental organization, announced that "the president's private jet took off at around 10 a.m. and who is on the plane has yet to be confirmed."

The organization further explained that no flight plans had been reported to aviation control centers, despite this being a protocol before the president's jet takes off.

According to the Presidential Office, the takeoff was for flight testing purposes.

The Center for Military Human Rights Korea later clarified, stating, "While it is true that the president's private jet had taken off, we have confirmed that the president was not on board."

BY KIM JEE-HEE [[email protected]]