As the tragic plane crash at Muan International Airport in Jeollanam-do on Sunday (Dec. 29) left most passengers presumed dead, the church community in Korea has expressed its condolences, according to reporting by Christian Daily Korea.
The Christian Council of Korea (CCK), led by Chairman Rev. Seo-Young Jung, issued a statement of condolence, saying, "We extend our deepest sympathies and words of comfort to the victims of the sudden accident at Muan Airport and their bereaved families. The scale of this catastrophe, which has claimed numerous lives, deeply pains our hearts. While no words can sufficiently console in such a devastating situation, we hope everyone will join in bearing the sorrow and mourning together."
"We urge the government and authorities to prioritize their efforts to handle this incident swiftly and mobilize every available resource for its resolution. Furthermore, we ask that measures be implemented through this process to ensure such a tragedy is never repeated," the CCK statement said.
The National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK), led by Chairman Rev. Jong-Hyuk Kim, also expressed condolences in its statement, saying, "The Korean Church stands with the bereaved families in their immense grief and prays for the swift recovery of the injured and for God's great comfort to be upon all the people of the nation."
"We ask all churches nationwide to pray for those who have experienced this great tragedy and to join hearts in offering consolation. We also urge the government, the airline, and all related parties to prioritize human life in their response, swiftly manage the situation, and establish responsible measures to prevent similar incidents from happening again," it continued.
The NCCK also emphasized, "We caution against any political interpretation or exploitation of this accident, which occurred amidst a national crisis. We call on the government and the National Assembly to collaborate and focus on resolving the situation as a first priority."
On Sunday, a passenger plane carrying 181 people skidded off the runway at high speed, crashing into a wall before erupting in flames.
Two crew members were pulled alive from the tail section of the burning aircraft. By late evening, however, authorities confirmed that the remaining 179 passengers had perished, marking the tragedy — involving Jeju Air, a widely popular low-cost carrier — as the deadliest aviation disaster involving a South Korean airline in nearly 30 years and the most catastrophic on South Korean soil to date. The cause of the crash is still being investigated.
