Former KBS announcer Jo Chung-hyun lost a friend in the Jeju Air passenger plane disaster.
On the 30th, Jo Chung-hyun posted on social media, "Oh, just in case... I was hoping it wasn't true... I checked several times yesterday... I was wondering if you were still in Thailand, but I guess not..." He continued, "Why such a kind and good person... I pray that you will be forever happy in heaven with your baby and wife. My condolences to the deceased."
On the 29th, at Muan International Airport in Jeollanam-do, a Jeju Air flight 7C2216 from Bangkok, Thailand, experienced an emergency landing, crashing into the runway's outer wall, resulting in a fire. Of the 181 people on board, including 175 passengers and 6 crew members, all but 2 crew members died.
The friend mentioned by Jo Chung-hyun is reported to be Mr. A, an employee of the Kia Tigers. Mr. A was returning from a trip to Thailand with his wife and 3-year-old son when the tragedy occurred.
Former baseball player Kim Byung-hyun also paid tribute to Mr. A, saying, "I offer my condolences to the family of the Kia Tigers team leader. He successfully married his sister-in-law, who worked in the secretary's office. They say 'the brave win the beautiful,' and I remember the simple and kind image of the team leader. I'm sorry I couldn't do more for you. Now, please stop watching baseball and be happy with your beloved wife and your bunny-like child over there."
Caster Jung Woo-young also expressed his sorrow on social media, stating, "He did his job excellently, and our company's baseball broadcasting team all liked him. We waited until the end for miraculous survival news, but with the announcement of all deaths except for the rescuers, our last hope vanished."
Meanwhile, the government has designated the period until January 4 of next year as a national mourning period for the worst aviation disaster in the country.
[Kim So-yeon, Star Today Reporter]
