Seoul. South Korean officials announced Monday that they would carry out safety inspections on all Boeing 737-800 aircraft operated by the country’s airlines, as investigators continue to determine the cause of a plane crash that killed 179 people a day earlier.

The crash on Sunday, South Korea's deadliest aviation disaster in decades, has shocked the nation, sparking an outpouring of sympathy. It has also raised questions about the government's response, with many concerned about how effectively it will manage the crisis amid a leadership vacuum following the recent impeachments of President Yoon Suk Yeol and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. The two top officials were removed from office after Yoon’s brief imposition of martial law earlier this month.

In a statement, acting President Choi Sang-mok, who also serves as the deputy prime minister and finance minister, presided over a task force meeting on the crash and ordered an urgent review of South Korea's aviation safety systems.

“The essence of a responsible response would be renovating the aviation safety systems to prevent similar incidents and building a safer Republic of South Korea,” said Choi.

The plane involved in the crash, a Boeing 737-800 operated by South Korean low-cost carrier Jeju Air, had initially aborted its first landing attempt for reasons still unclear. During the second attempt, the aircraft received a bird strike warning from ground control before the pilot issued a distress signal. The plane subsequently landed without its front landing gear deployed, overshot the runway, struck a concrete fence, and exploded into a fireball.

While the Boeing 737-800 is considered a reliable aircraft, industry experts noted that the investigation will focus on potential causes of failure. Alan Price, a former Delta Air Lines chief pilot, emphasized that the 737-800 is a "proven airplane," distinct from the Boeing 737 Max, which was involved in fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019.

The South Korean Transportation Ministry announced plans for safety inspections on all 101 Boeing 737-800 aircraft operated by the country's airlines and pledged a broader review of Jeju Air’s safety standards. Senior ministry official Joo Jong-wan revealed that representatives from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board and Boeing were expected to join the investigation.

The ministry also plans to investigate the design of Muan Airport’s localizer, a structure housing antennas used to guide aircraft during landings. The concrete fence the plane hit may have been too rigid, and officials will review whether lighter materials could have prevented the severity of the crash.

Flight data and cockpit voice recorders have been transported to a research center at Gimpo airport for analysis, though officials caution that the investigation could take months.

This incident marks South Korea's deadliest aviation disaster since 1997, when a Korean Airlines flight crashed in Guam, killing 228 people. Following the crash, the South Korean government declared a seven-day period of national mourning, which will last until January 4.

Relatives of the victims are mourning, with some questioning whether the crash was linked to broader safety concerns. The crash has also intensified scrutiny of the government’s crisis management capabilities, especially amid ongoing political turmoil caused by Yoon's martial law decree and the subsequent impeachment of top officials.

“We are deeply worried whether the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters can handle the disaster,” the JoongAng Ilbo newspaper said in an editorial Monday.

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