The concrete localizer investigation site at Muan Airport. [Photo=Yonhap News]

A research report analyzing the impact of Muan Airport's concrete embankment on the December 29 passenger jet crash has been released.

The report was officially commissioned by the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to the Korea Structural Engineering Association in March of last year. SBS exclusively obtained the report and reported on it on the 8th.

The research results, which had not been disclosed despite the victims' families' requests, were reportedly obtained by SBS through the office of National Assembly member Kim Eun-hye of the People Power Party.

According to the report, the research team presented simulation results indicating that all occupants would have survived if the concrete embankment had not existed at Muan Airport.

The research team conducted impact simulations using supercomputers and calculated the impact force and number of severely injured individuals for each scenario. As a result, it was analyzed that if the concrete embankment had not been present, the aircraft would have landed on its belly and skidded for 770 meters before stopping.

It was calculated that if the localizer had been installed as a breakable structure rather than concrete, the aircraft would have penetrated the 10-meter-high Muan Airport security fence. The analysis concluded that even in this case, there would have been no severe injuries.

The research team created virtual models of the aircraft, runway, ground, and various structures through on-site investigations at Muan Airport and conducted precise analysis using supercomputers.

They then estimated the impact on casualties by analyzing the impact force experienced by passengers in each seat during the collision with the concrete embankment, and the impact force if the concrete embankment had not been there.

In the report, Assembly member Kim stated, "The simulation results showing that no one would have been sacrificed if only the embankment had not been at Muan Airport, where 179 lives were lost, are shocking," and vowed, "We will clearly reveal through a parliamentary investigation why the concrete embankment was built with what discussion during the initial design, and why it was not corrected during the improvement construction in 2020."

Reporter Lim Yo-hee