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Companies cancel New Year's events in show of respect following Jeju Air crash

Published: 30 Dec. 2024, 15:50 Updated: 30 Dec. 2024, 19:19

Lotte World Tower [NEWS1]

Private firms are canceling end-of-the-year and New Year’s events following the deadly crash of a Jeju Air passenger plane at Muan International Airport in South Jeolla on Sunday.

Lotte Property & Development, the operator of Korea’s tallest skyscraper Lotte World Tower, announced on Monday that the fireworks celebration scheduled for New Year’s Eve had been canceled.

The firm said that it would hold a lighting ceremony at Lotte World Tower from Monday through Saturday instead to express condolences to the victims of the incident. The company held such a memorial event in 2022 after a deadly crowd crunch in Itaewon, which claimed 159 lives.

“We have decided to run a memorial ceremony instead of celebratory events during the national mourning period,” Lotte Property & Development told local media on Monday.

Acting President Choi Sang-mok declared Muan County, South Jeolla, a special disaster area and declared a period of national mourning that will continue until Jan. 4.

The “Happy New Year Electric Party,” initially slated to take place at the amusement park Lotte World on New Year's Eve, has also been called off.

Grand Hyatt Seoul, an international business hotel located in Yongsan District of central Seoul, canceled its year-end countdown fireworks festival.

“We express our heartfelt condolences for those who have been affected by the incident for their loss,” said a Grand Hyatt Seoul spokesperson in a press release on Monday.

On Sunday morning, Jeju Air Flight 7C 2216, a Boeing 737-800, carrying 181 individuals including six crew members, crashed while attempting to land at Muan International Airport in South Jeolla after returning from Bangkok, Thailand. Emergency authorities reported that all but two of the 181 passengers and crew on board died.

BY YOON SEUNG-JIN [[email protected]]