Families remember the dead, call for justice at joint commemoration for Jeju Air disaster victims
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- SEO JI-EUN
- [email protected]
![A team of dancers performs a traditional Korean shamanistic ritual dance to cleanse and peacefully send off the spirits of those killed in the Dec. 29, 2024, Jeju Air plane crash, during a joint memorial ceremony at Muan International Airport in Muan, South Jeolla, on Jan. 18. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/01/19/e5c20f5e-17cb-4ad4-85d7-898acbc90bb0.jpg)
A team of dancers performs a traditional Korean shamanistic ritual dance to cleanse and peacefully send off the spirits of those killed in the Dec. 29, 2024, Jeju Air plane crash, during a joint memorial ceremony at Muan International Airport in Muan, South Jeolla, on Jan. 18. [NEWS1]
As the poignant lyrics of "My Soul Becomes Wind" filled the hall at Muan International Airport on Saturday, tears flowed freely among the hundreds gathered for the joint memorial service commemorating the 179 lives lost in the tragic Jeju Air plane crash, held 20 days after the incident.
Singer Song Ha-ye’s voice trembled with emotion as she performed the tribute, initially written for the victims of the Sewol ferry tragedy in 2014, which killed 299 passengers, mostly high school students on a school trip. Grieving families and attendees wept openly as they remembered their loved ones.
The memorial service, jointly organized by the victims' families, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the provincial government of South Jeolla, drew over 1,500 attendees, including 800 bereaved family members.
![Government officials, including acting President Choi Sang-mok, lay flowers in tribute to the victims at the Jeju Air disaster joint memorial ceremony at Muan International Airport in South Jeolla on Jan. 18. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/01/19/b483e4b3-6cf4-4a4f-b7e0-2157ae2f6ba9.jpg)
Government officials, including acting President Choi Sang-mok, lay flowers in tribute to the victims at the Jeju Air disaster joint memorial ceremony at Muan International Airport in South Jeolla on Jan. 18. [NEWS1]
The service, themed "We Will Remember Together," began with a traditional shamanist ritual to console the spirits of the deceased, followed by a moment of silence and a flower-laying ceremony. LED screens displayed the names of the victims and messages of remembrance left on the airport stairs. Citizens unable to enter the venue watched from outside on large screens, sharing in the collective grief.
During the ceremony, bereaved family members read letters written to their lost ones aloud.
"If I had known I wouldn’t see you, who always protected our family, ever again, I would have told you I love you at least one more time," said the daughter who lost her father in the deadly crash. "I was so, so happy to be your daughter."
A husband who lost both his wife and daughter shared a dream he had before the tragedy. In the dream, his daughter transferred him money, calling it "the price of loneliness."
"Now I understand what she meant," he said. "No words or actions can ease this pain, but I will dedicate myself to helping others in their memory."
![A mourner wipes away tears during the joint memorial service for the victims of the Dec. 29 Jeju Air crash, held at Muan International Airport in South Jeolla on Jan. 18. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/01/19/52bf4583-02fb-4c66-99b6-9efa5cec37ae.jpg)
A mourner wipes away tears during the joint memorial service for the victims of the Dec. 29 Jeju Air crash, held at Muan International Airport in South Jeolla on Jan. 18. [YONHAP]
Families of the victims urged the government to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into the cause of the disaster.
"Our time stopped the moment the accident occurred," said Park Han-shin, a representative of the bereaved families. "We want justice for those who were taken from us unjustly. We want the truth to be revealed fairly and transparently, without secrecy or falsehoods."
Acting President Choi pledged the government’s full support.
"The government shares your pain and will do everything possible to help you heal and return to your daily lives," Choi said. "We promise a meticulous investigation and will keep you informed at every step."
The Jeju Air disaster occurred on Dec. 29 at 9:03 a.m. when a passenger plane attempting an emergency landing at Muan Airport struck a concrete embankment near the runway. The crash resulted in the deaths of 179 out of 181 people on board, including six crew members.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, Muan International Airport's runway has remained closed, and the Transport Ministry announced on Saturday that the closure would be extended until mid-April.
BY CHOI KYEONG-HO,HWANG HEE-GYU,SEO JI-EUN [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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