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SEOUL,South Korea: In a shocking turn of events, Son Chang-wan, former president of Korea Airports Corporation, was found dead in his Gunpo home on Tuesday evening, local police confirmed. The circumstances surrounding his death have cast a long shadow over South Korea's aviation industry, already reeling from the recent Jeju Air disaster.
Son's death comes in the wake of the devastating Jeju Air Flight 7C2216 crash at Muan International Airport on December 29, which claimed 179 lives. Though not directly implicated in the investigation, Son's leadership during the airport's 2020 renovation has drawn increased attention.
The aviation tragedy has exposed critical safety infrastructure vulnerabilities. A transportation ministry inspection revealed that seven national airports, including Muan, fail to meet current safety standards. Immediate plans include comprehensive infrastructure upgrades, such as replacing concrete structures with more destructible alternatives and expanding runway safety zones.
An international investigative team from South Korea, the United States, and Boeing has launched a comprehensive probe into the crash. Complicating their efforts, a flight recorder failed minutes before the incident, leaving crucial questions unanswered.
In a significant development, Jeju Air's chief executive faces travel restrictions as authorities conduct their investigation. The aviation industry and the public now await answers about the deadliest air disaster in South Korean history.
The Korea Airports Corporation maintained silence, describing Son's death as a "personal matter" – a response that may fuel further speculation about the complex challenges facing the nation's aviation sector.
As investigations continue, questions linger about safety protocols, infrastructure design, and the human cost of potential systemic failures.
[Note: The rewrite maintains the core information while crafting a narrative that highlights the interconnected challenges in South Korean aviation, using a journalistic approach that balances factual reporting with narrative tension.]
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