SEOUL: Acting President Choi Sang-mok engaged in a crucial meeting with National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik on Monday to deliberate over government support for families affected by a devastating plane crash. The accident, involving a Jeju Air flight, occurred just a day prior and has been marked as the country's deadliest aviation incident in over twenty years.
According to Yonhap News Agency, this meeting was held shortly after Choi assumed the role of acting president, following the suspension of Han Duck-soo. The Jeju Air flight, carrying 181 passengers, tragically belly-landed and exploded at an airport in Muan, located approximately 290 kilometers from Seoul. The catastrophe resulted in the loss of 179 lives, leaving only two survivors.
During the closed-door session at the National Assembly, both Choi and Woo donned black ribbons as a sign of mourning. The discussion focused on governmental measures to support the families of the victims. Park Tae-seo, a senior public affairs secretary for the National Assembly, stated, "The two had an in-depth conversation about addressing the aftermath of the Muan Jeju Air tragedy, including support measures for the victims' families."
Choi, who holds the position of deputy prime minister for economic affairs and finance minister, stepped into the interim leadership role following the suspension of Han Duck-soo's duties by the National Assembly. The meeting underscores the urgency and significance of the government's response to the tragedy.