SEOUL, March 11 (Reuters) - South Korea's transport

ministry cut construction costs and approved improper airport

safety structures for more than two decades, the state auditor

said in a report on aviation safety management after a Jeju Air

crash that killed 179 people.

The December 2024 crash involved a Boeing 737-800 which was

struck by birds, belly-landed and overran the runway at Muan

International Airport, killing almost everyone on board after it

struck a concrete support for a localiser antenna. The only

survivors were two flight attendants at the rear of the plane.

The Board of Audit and Inspection said in a report published

on Tuesday that the ministry built a 2.4 metre (7.9 ft) high

concrete embankment upon which to place the localiser - a

landing guidance system - at Muan airport in order to reduce

earthwork costs, without adequately reviewing relevant rules.

Under international standards, localiser structures should

be designed to break apart easily upon aircraft impact.

The ministry is responsible for airport construction. It

hands operations to Korea Airports Corp (KAC) but

remains responsible for safety certification.

The auditor said the ministry wrongly approved 14

non-compliant localiser installations at eight airports

including Muan, Gimhae and Jeju. It also said that, for up to 22

years, the ministry certified operating permits and approved

regular inspections that erroneously found frangibility

standards had been met.

It identified broader shortcoming in bird-strike prevention

and other aspects of air safety management, and notified the

ministry of 30 cases of wrongdoing or procedural failure.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said it

"humbly accepted" the findings and would take strict follow-up

measures, including localiser improvement and stronger

bird-strike prevention.

A KAC spokesperson said the airport operator is in the

process of reflecting improvements recommended by the report.

Jeju Air did not answer phone calls seeking

comment.

A separate government-commissioned report found the crash

might not have been deadly if there had not been a concrete

embankment at the end of the runway, an opposition lawmaker said

in January, citing a simulation contained in the report.

A full investigative report is pending public disclosure. It

has missed a one-year deadline for the release of a progress

report.

The Muan airport has been closed since the crash. It is

unclear when it will reopen.