Security service probing abrupt return of presidential jet

The presidential office said Monday that it will probe the return of the presidential jet, which was bound for the United Arab Emirates but flew back shortly after taking off Saturday, and to prevent a recurrence.

The Presidential Security Service decided to summon Korean Air executives in charge of the plane`s maintenance to the presidential office for questioning when President Lee Myung-bak returns from the UAE Tuesday.

Service chief Kim In-jong told reporters in Abu Dhabi Monday, “We will call in Korean Air President Ji Chang-hoon, the captain and the plane technician of the presidential jet, and the air controller from the Air Force to investigate the cause of faulty maintenance and whether they followed maintenance rules.”

The security service began an investigation into the Air Force and Korean Air immediately after the flight was forced to return. The carrier had a meeting on the matter Monday presided over by the chairman of its parent Hanjin Group, Cho Yang-ho.

A Korean Air source said, “The first round of investigation is complete except for that on the captain of the presidential flight and the plane technician.”

The security service and Korean Air only said a loose screw of the air cover (the cover of the air inlet) made noises. Under consideration is a dramatic increase in the duration of a test flight, which is only one hour per week, to raise safety.

The presidential office is cautiously talking about the revival of the practice under which airline CEOs board the presidential jet for safety. Korean Air and Asiana had taken turns running a presidential jet until April last year, and the CEOs of both companies got on their own jets to check the flights.

In April last year, however, the presidential office concluded a five-year contract with Korean Air on the presidential jet.

srkim@donga.com kky@donga.com