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Air Busan passenger handed to police after touching emergency exit during flight to China

Published: 28 Apr. 2025, 16:54 Updated: 28 Apr. 2025, 21:02

LIM JEONG-WON
[email protected]

An Air Busan aircraft [AIR BUSAN]

A passenger was handed over to local police on Monday after touching an emergency exit door during a flight to China.

A male passenger on Air Busan flight BX337, which departed from Gimhae International Airport in Busan at 9:48 a.m. Monday en route to Yanji, China, touched the emergency door during the flight, prompting a flight attendant to intervene, according to the airline industry on Monday.

The emergency door did not open, and the aircraft arrived safely at Yanji Airport as scheduled.

The passenger was turned over to the airport police at the destination and is currently under investigation.

"It is currently unclear whether the passenger actually attempted to open the emergency door or merely touched it," said an Air Busan official. "The flight attendants responded quickly, and the flight proceeded normally."

Following a series of incidents where passengers either opened or attempted to open emergency exits during flights, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport recently sent an official letter to 11 airlines requesting stronger safety measures for emergency exits.

The Transport Ministry had previously issued guidelines for enhancing emergency exit safety to airlines in 2023.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY HYEON YE-SEUL [[email protected]]