Exclusive: Muan Airport fails to meet safety regulations on localizer setup

Muan International Airport failed to meet safety standards for installing a localizer, a critical landing guidance system, according to findings revealed Dec. 31.

The issue surfaced in the aftermath of a Dec. 28 crash in which a Jeju Air plane carrying 181 passengers struck the localizer and an outer wall during landing, killing 179 people. The tragedy has drawn scrutiny over whether regulatory compliance might have mitigated the accident’s severity.

Muan International Airport's operational manual, published on May 9 by Korea Airports Corporation (KAC)./KAC

The airport’s operational manual, published on May 9 by Korea Airports Corporation (KAC), indicated that Muan International Airport failed to comply with runway end safety area (RESA) regulations outlined in the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s “Standards for Safe Operation of Airports.”

The manual, which details airport facilities, emergency operation plans, and safety management systems, specifically noted that the localizer’s installation point did not meet recommended standards.

Under the guidelines, the airport must maintain a safety area of 240 meters from the runway’s end. However, the localizer was installed just 202 meters from the southern end (01 direction) and 199 meters from the northern end (19 direction). The localizer, an antenna system that emits radio signals to guide aircraft toward the center of the runway, is essential for safe landings.

KAC flagged the airport for having a RESA that fell 38 meters short in one direction and 41 meters in the other. Airport officials responded that adjustments would be considered during the airport’s second-phase expansion.

Compared to other airports, Muan’s localizer placement lags significantly. For example, Incheon International Airport has its localizers positioned 295 to 298 meters from the runway ends, and other domestic airports adhere to the 240-meter standard.

Still, questions remain about whether adhering to the 240-meter guideline would have prevented the Jeju Air crash, as the aircraft also collided with an outer wall 323 meters from the runway’s end.

Localizers installed behind the runway at Incheon International Airport are mounted flush with the ground, resembling speed bumps, and feature lightweight, breakable metal antennas—unlike the mound-mounted design used at Muan International Airport./The office of Yeom Tae-yeong, Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker

Experts have also criticized the physical structure of the localizer at Muan Airport, stating it does not meet regulatory standards. Article 24 of the “Standards for Establishing Airport and Aerodrome Facilities” requires RESA infrastructure to minimize damage to overrunning aircraft and facilitate rescue and firefighting operations.

At Muan, the localizer is embedded in a 2-to-3-meter-high mound, protruding about 7 centimeters above the surface and reinforced with concrete. Experts argue this design increases the risk of aircraft damage, falling short of safety standards.

In contrast, Incheon International Airport’s localizers are mounted just 7.5 centimeters above ground on a lightweight, breakable base designed to minimize aircraft damage. This design proved effective in 2016 when a UPS cargo plane overran a runway and struck a localizer, causing minimal damage to the aircraft.

“Regulations for localizer installations are based on common sense—structures must not be too rigid or high to avoid causing significant damage to aircraft,” an aviation industry official said. “Muan’s localizer design appears to violate these standards.”