U.S. Decides to Lower Korean Aviation Security to the Second Grade

The U.S. government decided to degrade `Korean Aviation Security`. Accordingly, Airline companies will lose their credit throughout the world, and several hundreds of billion won of economic loss is expected.

On the other hand, blames are expected toward the Ministry of Construction and Transportation, who did not take a swift and effective response to this decision.

The Ministry announced on the 17th, ``Max Winny chief inspector of FAA informed Yang Sung-Chul Korean ambassador in the U.S. of the degradation of Korean Aviation Security from the first grade to the second grade.``

According to the Ministry of Construction and Transportation, FAA pointed out several conditions as weak. ``Korean government`s effort to reform several conditions that we pointed out as weakness is positive, however, it is inevitable to degrade the Security level since the conditions in the inspection is the standard of the decision.`` FAA said.

From this decision, Korean Airline and Asiana Airline cannot attain any new air route or increase any flights in the U.S. They also cannot share any code with the U.S. airline. Increase of the premium and decrease of income are following economic loss and it is presumed to be around 220 billion won.

Government held an emergency meeting with Lee Han Dong Prime Minister`s lead on the 17th and decided to make a counter-plan to attain the first grade again.

Usually the second grade in Aviation Security that is categorized as `category II` practically means that Korean Aviation Security is not trustworthy and dangerous.

The U.S. allows the first grade countries many advantage such as expansion of the route or attainment of new route. But to the second grade countries, the U.S. gives many restrictions. Usually, the restriction period is one year, but in rare case, the U.S. has raised the grade after 6 month.

Hwang Jae-Seong jsonhng@donga.com