Ministry seems too soft on Korean Air investigation

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transportation planned to have the 2nd round of investigation over Korean Air purser Park Chang-jin regarding the so-called ‘nut rage’ incident. But the investigation didn’t take place due to Park’s refusal to attend. In the 1st round of the ministy`s investigation on Dec. 8, the chief purser kept his mouth shut about verbal abuse and physical violence by former Vice President Cho Hyun-ah. But during the prosecutor’s investigation and an interview with a media outlet on Friday, Park disclosed acts of disturbance conducted by the former Vice President in detail and told the press that officials from the nation’s No.1 carrier tried to force him to give false account. According to Park, Korean Air officials visited the chief flight attendance at home and said, “Ministry investigators are all from Korean Air. The probe will turn out as a pre-orchestrated drama.” It seems natural that the chief purser couldn’t trust the ministry.

In fact, 14 out 16 Air Safety Investigators of the ministry are from Korean Air. Even considering the fact that Korean Air is the nation’s biggest carrier, this is too excessive. Air Safety Investigator is a public servant who investigates documents and accounts of facilities related to aviation safety under the Aviation Act. If such investigators have murky relations with a certain airline, it is hard to expect to have thorough and strict investigation. Two Air Safety Investigators of the ministry investigation team have backgrounds related to Korean Air. It is quite doubtful whether the ministry’s probe is conducted in strict and just manners. There is high possibility that the ministry half-heartedly conducted the investigation on former Korean Air vice president Cho. After the ministry’s investigation on Friday, when asked by reporters, “Did you verbally abuse and exercise physical violence against chief purser Park?” Cho replied, “I never heard of it.”

When the ministry summoned Cho for investigation last weekend, the ministry seemed swayed by the airline. The ministry took hands-off attitude when Korean Air officials restricted access of reporters and even drew a ‘photo line’ at their discretion in front of the entrance to the investigation room at the headquarters of the Railway Accident Investigation Board, which is a committee under the ministry, in Gonghang Dong, Seoul. Even worse, Korean Air staff urged a building security guard to clean up women’s toilet just in case Cho wants to use. The airline’s employees probably thought the ministry building was Korean Air’s headquarters.

From earlier stages of the incident, the ministry has showed lukewarm attitude toward investigation by saying, "It is not necessary to investigate Cho," "The incident doesn’t seem worth being brought to the prosecution." If the ministry’s fairness is suspected even in the investigation process, the public would naturally think the investigation is too lenient toward the airline. It is highly doubtful whether the Ministry of transportation, which is surrounded by former Korean Air officials, can get to the bottom of the disturbance incident that occurred inside the Korean Air flight.