Families of victims from the Jeju Air flight 7C 2216 tragedy, which occurred on December 29, 2024, at Muan International Airport in South Jeolla Province, have begun legal action against the government, related agencies, and companies.
According to legal sources on August 8, the victims' families' association has appointed the law firm Won as their legal representative, in line with the two-year statute of limitations under the Montreal Convention for air transport. They are preparing to file a lawsuit for damages. The defendants in this case include the government of South Korea, Korea Airports Corporation, Jeju Air, and the aircraft manufacturer Boeing.
Previously, the victims' families' association requested proposals from 30 major law firms in South Korea in April to ensure a fair selection of legal representatives. After a rigorous document review and presentation evaluation of the submitted proposals, the families voted to select law firm Won as their legal counsel. So far, 73 of the 179 total victims' families have completed the delegation of their lawsuit to law firm Won.
Before filing the main lawsuit, law firm Won submitted a request for evidence preservation to the Mokpo branch of the Gwangju District Court on August 6, 2026. Search operations for remains and personal belongings are still ongoing at the accident site, and recovered items are being stored in a separate facility.
Additionally, it has been confirmed that video footage from closed-circuit television (CCTV) at Muan Airport shows evidence of improper preservation of the site by the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Committee immediately after the accident. The legal team believes that key evidence may be lost or damaged over time, prompting them to seek legal preservation of this evidence.
Law firm Won has previously represented families of victims from the Sewol ferry disaster in a successful lawsuit against the government and is currently representing the families of 28 victims from the Itaewon tragedy in a lawsuit against the state.
The legal team expressed a strong commitment to thoroughly uncover the truth behind the Muan Airport tragedy and secure just compensation, drawing on their extensive experience in handling lawsuits for victims of major disasters.
A representative from law firm Won stated, "This lawsuit aims not only to seek compensation but also to clarify the truth of the tragedy and identify accountability, ensuring that such a disaster does not happen again. We will promptly and thoroughly pursue the main lawsuit against the government, Korea Airports Corporation, and Jeju Air, starting with the evidence preservation process."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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