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| ▲ Acting President Choi Sang-mok speaks during a disaster control meeting at the government complex building in Seoul on Dec. 30, 2024. (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ A crane removes wreckage from the plane crash site at Muan International Airport in Muan, South Jeolla Province, on Dec. 29, 2024. (Yonhap) |
(LEAD) acting president-plane crash
(LEAD) Acting President Choi expresses grief over deadly plane crash
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By Kim Han-joo
SEOUL, Dec. 30 (Yonhap) -- Acting President Choi Sang-mok said Monday that he is "heartbroken" by the tragic plane crash, acknowledging the additional strain it places on a public already grappling with economic challenges.
Choi made the remarks while presiding over a disaster control meeting in Seoul, after the Jeju Air plane carrying 181 people belly-landed and exploded at an airport in the country's southwestern county of Muan on Sunday morning. The country's worst aviation accident in years claimed 179 lives, with two survivors rescued.
"To the honorable citizens of our nation, as an acting president, my heart aches as we face this unforeseen tragedy amid recent economic hardships," Choi said during the meeting.
Choi, who also serves as deputy prime minister for economic affairs and finance minister, stepped into the interim leadership role Friday following the suspension of acting President Han Duck-soo's duties by the National Assembly.
Han was impeached less than two weeks after he took over for President Yoon Suk Yeol on Dec. 14, who was impeached for declaring martial law.
During the meeting, Choi reaffirmed the government's commitment to deploying all available resources to support the bereaved families and injured survivors.
He further pledged to thoroughly investigate the cause of the accident and promptly disclose the findings to the bereaved families and the public with full transparency.
"We will transparently disclose the progress of the investigation into the accident, even before the final results are released, and keep the bereaved families informed," Choi said.
He also ordered the transport ministry to conduct an emergency safety inspection of the country's entire airline operation system.
The government has declared a seven-day national mourning period until midnight Saturday. Memorial altars will be established at the crash site and in 17 cities and provinces, including Seoul and the southwestern city of Gwangju.
"We hope the public will visit the joint memorial altars to mourn the victims and offer their condolences to the bereaved families," Choi said.
The acting president is leading the centralized disaster control team instead of the prime minister, who would typically be in charge based on a manual prepared after the 2014 sinking of the Sewol ferry, which killed 304 people.
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