Seoul, Dec 22 South Korea's National Assembly on Monday launched a special parliamentary committee to investigate the exact cause of last year's fatal Jeju Air plane crash that claimed 179 lives.
On December 29 last year, the Jeju Air jet from Bangkok erupted into flames after crashing into a concrete mound as it overshot the runway when it made an emergency belly landing at Muan International Airport, about 290 kilometres south of Seoul, following a bird strike.
The 18-member committee, which will run for at least 40 days, plans to look closely into factors that may have been blamed for the crash, including the bird strike, the mound the jet crashed into and possible aircraft defects, reports Yonhap news agency.
It will also investigate whether any cover-up attempts were made in the government's investigation into the crash.
The committee's launch comes after the government shelved a plan to announce the interim results of its investigation earlier this month.
Family members of the tragedy's victims have voiced opposition against the government investigation, raising questions about its transparency and credibility and calling for an independent probe.
Earlier this month, a group of family members of victims shaved their heads in protest over the government's interim probe results of the tragedy, raising questions about the credibility of the probe and calling for an independent investigation.
An investigation committee under the transport ministry is scheduled to hold a two-day hearing from Thursday to announce the interim results of the fatal accident on December 29 last year at Muan International Airport that claimed 179 lives.
A group representing the victims' family members and other civic groups staged the protest outside the presidential office compound in central Seoul, accusing the committee of not being transparent.
"The transport ministry has packaged the disaster as being handled well and blocked all information through the 'self-investigation' and 'black-out investigation' with the committee," said Kim Yoo-jin, who heads the group of bereaved family members.
The group called for the investigation to be handled by an independent body under the prime minister and for the hearing's postponement, arguing the probe cannot be trusted as the committee falls under the transport ministry, which is in charge of aviation policy.
Five people shaved their heads during the protest, with some participants later clashing with police as they sought to enter the presidential office to meet President Lee Jae Myung.
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