[On-site video+] "Destroyed flight recorder determines that data cannot be extracted from Korea"

[Anchor]
It was discovered that the runway at Muan Airport was used shorter than its original length due to construction,
It has been confirmed that additional construction of the
localizer concrete has also been carried out, so let's hear from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport over the details of the accident.

Directly connect to the briefing site.

[Interview]
Regarding Jeju Air Flight 2216, the accident settlement status as of 14:30 on January 1, 2025 is as follows. First, it's identification. All 179 of the dead have been identified and 168 people are currently in a makeshift shelter. A total of 11 people have been transferred to the funeral home. Accident investigation for

The South Korea-U.S. joint investigation team has established a temporary headquarters and is continuing to conduct on-site investigations. The investigation committee is working on converting data extracted from the voice recording device into a voice file format, and the investigation committee expects it to take about two days to complete.

As the damaged flight recorder was deemed impossible to extract data in Korea, it was agreed today to travel to the United States in cooperation with the U.S. Transportation Safety Commission to analyze it, and accordingly, it will depart for the United States as soon as the specific transfer schedule for the flight recorder and participants from the Korea Investigation Commission are set. This is a support center.

From 10 p.m., bereaved families and others visited the accident site and held a memorial service, and support measures such as special leave and leave of absence for bereaved families are also under discussion. That's about it.

[Reporter]
I'm told that I've decided to send FDR to the US, but I'm wondering if there's anything known about the time it takes to decipher, or if it can be handled first.

[Interview]
The time required is expected to be estimated by looking at the data status or amount inside. At this point, it is difficult to predict in advance. However, I would like to say that we are continuously in hustle and bustle so that data extraction and analysis can be performed as quickly as possible.

[Reporter]
Which subject will be in charge of FDR analysis and will the manufacturer do it in the United States?

[Interview]
An institution called the National Transportation Safety Board NTSB is responsible for the analysis.

[Interview]
And for your information, as I told you in the data, Korean participants in the investigation committee will also go together and investigate.

[Reporter]
It was also mentioned at the briefing earlier in the morning, and Kumho Engineering & Construction did the construction of the local riser, but I understand that there was a separate designer when designing the airport at that time. Airport design is a little special, so I'm curious about where the designer is because I need to have some expertise.

And if you look at Yeosu and Gyeongju Airport, please explain why local airports are made in this way and large airports such as Incheon and Gimpo Airport have made local risers that do not have such risks.

[Interview]
So far, five to six companies have come in with turnkey, but it is not confirmed which company designed the localizer. Let me check and get back to you.

[Reporter]
Who designed the airport itself...

[Interview]
We're investigating that, so I'll do some research and tell you according to the results. In addition, I think there will be issues that the airport considered by the environment and the designer for different construction methods for each airport. Such things need to be checked additionally, and I will tell you additionally accordingly.

[Reporter]
Looking at the press release, you gave us the collected photos for the first time, right? If you look here, in FDR, where should the connector be and where is it gone?

[Interview]
If you look at this drawing here, this is the power unit, and this round one is the unit that holds the data. It's on top of it, and it's the connector that connects it.

[Reporter]
As a result, what's right is that the top one is almost on top and it should be connected, but there's no connection, right?

[Interview]
You can think of it like that.

[Reporter]
I can't see it well from the back here, so the rectangular box on the left is the power source and the right cylinder is the storage device, so are you saying that the connector connecting between them is missing?

[Interview]
is correct. It's up in a flat space and the two are connected, so the connector works.

[Reporter]
Is the connector the thin line we think it is?

[Interview]
As I said in the morning, this connector's function is a combination of power supply and data transmission. It is not very large, but it is said to be a thin and wide connector like a band.

[Reporter]
I'm talking about the localizer drawing. I wonder if you've secured it. For example, I think the Seoul Regional Aviation Administration was probably the main department at that time, but there must be a drawing delivered there, and the completion drawing. Have you confirmed that?

[Interview]
You mean the drawing when you installed it before the first improvement, right?

[Reporter]
Is the first or second part of the improvement secured?

[Interview]
First of all, since it's been over 20 years, I think it's difficult to find it in the relevant government office now. It's such a situation, and I know there will be one because the blueprint is submitted to our relevant aviation agency.

[Reporter]
The Busan Aviation Administration answered that there would be one, right?

[Interview]
I'll make a final confirmation. I think there will be, but since it's recent. I think there will be one, but it's the Hankook Ilbo after checking.

[Reporter]
Since there is a completion drawing, I think the Busan Aviation Administration probably has most of the original ones, but you have to have a drawing to put it on top. Please check.

[Reporter]
You mentioned earlier that it is a more difficult technology to re-junction FDR than you think. Are you going to the U.S. for that reason?

[Interview]
Is it possible to find another connector that can replace a bad missing connector? Even if you find it, can you attach it technically perfectly when bonding? I understand that there has been a technical review of these things within the investigation committee. I understand that it is much more effective to investigate quickly and extract data to go to the U.S. after judging that such situations are not possible.

[Reporter]
I don't know if it's appropriate to say that this is a concern, but I don't know why, but it's a combination of a fuselage landing situation and a concrete localizer that doesn't normally exist at airports. What I mean is that the cause of the fuselage landing is different from the localizer, which has increased damage to the accident.

In that case, I wonder if this key data called FDR must cross to the United States, so I wonder if we can't solve this within ourselves. On the investigating side, the manufacturer will want to weigh in on the localizer and I'm telling you because I think it can be reflected.

[Interview]
I'll give you a supplementary explanation. Repairing the connector connection is not a simple task to make and wear a replacement product. Also, if it is opened carelessly, there may be problems with data preservation and there are various opinions from experts. There is a close cooperation system with the investigation committee and the US NTSB authorities, and we have been cooperating in the past.

Many countries around the world conduct analysis in cooperation with the US and French investigation authorities who are good at handling black boxes. There is no concern because the U.S. is not analyzing our data alone, but because our experts go together and collaborate.

[Reporter]
You talked about it earlier in the morning, but you said you communicated for up to a minute and agreed to come down to 19. So the last communication... When was the last time you were communicated?

[Interview]
At the end of the day, I explained it by focusing on the important points in the accident outline at first. After that, there are some communications in unstable situations, but it is difficult to check until then.

[Reporter]
FDR doesn't look so bad in pictures right now. Please tell me if it is correct to think that the data contained in this FDR is less likely to have been damaged in appearance. And you said that it takes two days to convert CVR voice, so please tell me when it starts and when it starts. As far as I know, the investigation team from the United States did not have good contact with our team from the beginning.

Do you do the investigation separately from the US team and our team at the site? Or are we cooperating and moving together? Please tell me this, too.

[Interview]
What I told you that it takes two days of CVR data is that I'm talking about two days from today. So, it's the opinion of the Investigation Committee that it will take about two days from today. I think I distributed the data as of December 31st. It's two days from today. It is the opinion of the investigation committee that the results are likely to come out the day after tomorrow.

When I briefed you this morning, I told you that the investigation committee extracted the data stored in the CVR and that we will begin the process of converting it into a voice file on January 1st.
We started today, about two days. So, I will tell you that it is the opinion of the investigation committee that the results can be produced by the day after tomorrow.

And at the same time, you said, "How will the investigation be conducted by Korea and the United States?" As I said in the data, there is a temporary headquarters in the airport. You can understand that a joint investigation team has been formed there and is conducting investigation activities together. I don't think I can tell you the details of what role these people will play and how they will conduct the investigation in detail.

I can tell you that we are doing things like division of roles while closely consulting with each other. And the second one, please say it again.

[Reporter]
I think it looks okay from the appearance of FDR, but is it okay to say that there is little possibility of actual data or loss?

[Interview]
From the outside, it does not appear to be significantly damaged. However, I think we need to start extracting data to know more accurately how much data remains intact. I think it is necessary to be cautious in predicting just by looking at the exterior.

[Reporter]
I wonder if there have been cases in which FDR and CVR black boxes were sent to the United States or France to analyze them locally in the case of an aircraft accident in Korea before. And if I send you FDR this time, I wonder where you're going to Washington in the United States and which way you're going. This is a different question.

There's a picture that's coming up on Twitter X right now, and the aircraft's high-around review started even before the engine combustion occurred, and these videos and photos are coming up, and I wonder if you're aware of it and if you've received anything about it.

[Interview]
First, the first question, past cases, there are several times. I've done that in the past. The NTSB in Washington has done that a lot, mainly because it's Air Force aircraft and Boeing, and then the NTSB in Washington is going to cooperate with the United States. And I answered the second question. There are a lot of videos about the third episode on the market. We are also referring to various information.

But I can't even tell if it was filmed accurately. I'm just referring to understanding various circumstances.

[Reporter]
This is Reuters. You said you would conduct a high-intensity safety inspection of Jeju Air on Monday, so please tell us what you will focus on. And when the president of Jeju Air held a press conference yesterday, he said there was no problem at all with the pre-expension, but I wonder if there was anything found about it.

[Interview]
We are conducting a special inspection on the 737-800 model. Didn't the landing gear, which was mainly a problem now, not spread out? So I'm focusing on the landing gear part, engine part, and maintenance record, and other fields, but I'm focusing on those three areas. In the departure area, accurate data will be revealed by the investigation committee.

However, if the maintenance is not confirmed at the departure point, the departure itself cannot be made. It's supposed to be done according to the maintenance procedure, but only after regular inspections are done, the captain, and two confirmation technicians confirm that the aircraft is in good condition and leave. So, as far as I know, it's been a normal procedure in that area. Other really unusual defect information or anything unusual on the way will be reviewed through the results of the investigation committee's investigation.