Concerns continue to mount that the concrete embankment supporting the localizer antenna at Muan International Airport may have amplified the severity of the Jeju Air crash. This structure, protruding from the ground, has drawn criticism for its potential role in the tragedy.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport (MOLIT) and the airport authorities have clarified that the embankment was installed to level the sloping ground of the non-runway area and align with the runway's horizontal plane. They stated that whether the structure contributed to the accident will be determined through an ongoing investigation.

On the 30th, MOLIT and Muan International Airport explained that the localizer, an antenna aiding aircraft landings, is installed approximately 250 meters from the runway end on a non-runway area.

The concrete embankment, covered with soil, stands about 2 meters tall, with the entire structure, including the localizer, reaching approximately 4 meters. The airport replaced the localizer last year and reinforced its foundation by constructing the embankment.

"The previous localizer had reached the end of its 15-year operational life, prompting equipment replacement and foundational reinforcement," explained airport representatives. The embankment was necessary to align the sloped ground beyond the runway with the required level plane.

Localizers must be positioned perpendicular to the runway centerline to ensure accurate aircraft alignment.

However, critics argue that the embankment’s 2-meter height exacerbated the crash damage. The short distance between the runway end and the embankment (251 meters) has also drawn scrutiny, as it is notably less than the 300-meter buffer at other major airports like Incheon and Gimpo.

During the accident, the Jeju Air aircraft skidded approximately 1,600 meters along the runway before striking the embankment, the localizer, and eventually the airport’s outer wall.

Foreign aviation experts and former pilots, in interviews and online discussions, claimed that the collision with the embankment worsened the damage, leading to greater casualties.

They pointed out that it is rare for localizer structures to be made of protruding concrete, which likely increased the aircraft's damage during impact.

A current pilot, speaking anonymously, remarked, "I’ve seen many antennas across various airports, but never one supported by such a structure. Even if a higher antenna is needed, constructing a concrete wall is unnecessary."

Aviation expert David Learmount stated on Sky News, "Passengers died after the aircraft hit a solid structure just beyond the runway, which should not have been there." He added, "The plane skidded off the runway with minimal damage until it collided with the embankment, which caused a fire and subsequent fatalities."

The absence of such protruding concrete structures at airports like Incheon further supports claims that the embankment worsened the accident's impact.

MOLIT countered these claims during repeated briefings, stating, "Similar concrete structures for localizer facilities exist at airports like Yeosu and Cheongju. Jeju Airport uses concrete and H-beams, while Pohang Airport employs both earth and concrete reinforcements."