At the site of the Jeonnam Muang International Airport disaster, the tail section of the accident aircraft is being lifted by a tower crane. /News1

The government will begin full-scale support for the economic recovery of Gwangju and Jeollanam-do, which were affected by the '12·29 Jeju Air passenger plane disaster' that resulted in 181 casualties.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 23rd that it will hold a kickoff meeting for the '12·29 passenger plane disaster area economic revitalization plan study' on the 24th. This measure is a follow-up procedure under Article 9 of the Special Law on Compensation and Support for the 12·29 Passenger Plane Disaster, which stipulates the establishment of special support measures for the recovery of culture and tourism in the affected areas and economic revitalization as a duty of the state.

Immediately after the disaster, the runway at Muan Airport was temporarily closed, leading to revenue declines and management difficulties for commercial facilities, aircraft handling companies, and the local tourism industry within the airport. In response, the local community has continuously demanded a precise analysis of the magnitude of the damage and systematic support at the government level.

This study will be conducted by the Korean Society of Regional Development. Over the next six months, it will focus on analyzing the basic economic status of Gwangju and Jeollanam-do, the scale of damage by industry, gathering on-site opinions, and formulating tailored economic revitalization plans. To this end, meetings, surveys, and in-depth interviews will be conducted with local government officials, small business owners, and individuals in the tourism industry, and consultations with regional research institutions, chambers of commerce, and universities will also be carried out.

The research results will materialize into tailored support projects that are expected to have a substantial impact on the affected industries. Based on this, the government plans to establish realistic and effective project plans in collaboration with relevant departments and local governments.

This study will be led by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's 12·29 passenger plane disaster victim support team, which will collaborate with six ministries, including the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises and Startups, as well as local governments in Gwangju and Jeollanam-do and private experts to oversee the research.

Support team leader Park Jeong-su noted, “Air accidents are disasters that do not simply result in transport disruptions but have widespread impacts on the local economy,” and stated, “We will ensure that a tailored, comprehensive special support plan for local economic recovery is prepared without any issues.”

Economic revitalization plan promotion system for the affected area. /Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport

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