[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] SEOUL, October 26, 2025 — South Korea’s aviation authorities have fined Air Seoul for insufficient on-site response and delayed reporting procedures after a passenger unlawfully opened an aircraft emergency exit during taxiing in April this year.
According to findings released by Rep. Lee Yeon-hee of the National Assembly’s Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, and confirmed by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT), the Jeju Regional Aviation Office imposed a ₩5 million (US$3,600) fine on Air Seoul and issued recommendations to strengthen cabin security and crew training.
The incident occurred on April 15, 2025, at approximately 8:13 a.m., when Air Seoul flight RS902 from Jeju to Gimpo, carrying 202 passengers, was taxiing toward the runway at Jeju International Airport. A woman in her 30s reportedly felt “suffocated,” rushed forward, and opened the right-side emergency exit, forcing the aircraft to halt.
Investigators found that the purser’s initial response was inadequate, noting that although she served as an onboard security officer, she failed to restrain the passenger — described as of average build — or request assistance from other crew members. Instead, she attempted to report the situation directly to the cockpit.
The probe also revealed deficiencies in Air Seoul’s mandatory reporting system. Under Korean aviation regulations, any unlawful interference or disruptive act onboard must be immediately reported to the relevant regional aviation office. However, Air Seoul reported the incident to a Jeju aviation security inspector two hours and 23 minutes later, at 10:36 a.m., via SMS. The written report, required to be filed without delay, was only submitted the following afternoon on April 16.
Authorities concluded that the delay occurred because Air Seoul’s head office, rather than its Jeju branch, handled the reporting process — a deviation from the airline’s approved internal security plan.
The Jeju Regional Aviation Office subsequently fined Air Seoul for failing to comply with its security protocols and recommended corrective measures, including enhanced cabin crew restraint training and improved emergency response procedures to prevent recurrence.
Alphabiz Reporter Kim Jisun(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
