BAI Sets for Special Inspection on Aviation Security

The Board of Audit and Inspection announced its plan to inspect the Ministry of Construction and Transportation (MOCT) to figure out the background of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)`s categorization of Korea as an `unsafe country` last week.

A related official of BAI said that the Board would decide the special inspection based on the implementation of the security measures including the revision of the aviation law and the employee education of the aviation companies.

Oh Jang-Seop, Minister of Construction and Transportation, held a special meeting for countermeasures and decided to pay its best effort to recover the `safe` grade in 3-6 months by strengthening the cooperation with the FAA and the education system of the aviation related officials.

MOCT will conclude the agreement note on the technology exchange with FAA by the end of next month and dispatch related officials to the FAA office. The government is also planning to request the FAA to open an office in Seoul to review the security measures with the FAA personnel.

In addition, MOCT decided to establish a training center of the Flight Safety Boeing (FSB), an aviation safety education institution and a company affiliated to the Boeing, to promote the systematic education of the aviation personnel.

As soon as the National Assembly passes the aviation law, the government will complete the detailed enforcement regulations to make the law fully effective when it is officially announced. The government is also planning to assign a few aviation and maintenance inspectors to the 13 local airports to increase the safety measures.

To prevent the influence of the `unsafe` categorization by the FAA, the government will send letters to the aviation authorities of the countries to explain the safety of the domestic airliners and the governmental effort to increase the fight safety.

Meanwhile, FAA officials will visit Korea on 24th and 25th to discuss the measures and timetable for the recovery of the safety grade.

Koo Ja-Ryong bonhong@donga.com