Land Minister Park Sang-woo speaks to the familiy member and reporters in a press briefing held at the Muan International Airport in Muan, South Jeolla Province on Sunday. (Yonhap via The Korea Herald/Asia News Network)
MUAN, South Jeolla Province — As names of victims were announced through microphones one by one, screams of desperation filled the air.
The center-left Socialist leader will also attend a business forum in Beijing for Spanish and Chinese companies before traveling to Shanghai later Monday. The next day he will attend more business events and the inauguration of a Cervantes Institute, a center that promotes Spanish language and culture.
Leaders in Beijing have been seeking to boost domestic activity as property sector woes and trade frictions weigh on confidence.
At Muan International Airport where a plane crashed shortly after landing on Sunday morning, claiming 179 lives, a woman burst into tears after hearing the name of a family member whose body had been identified.
Article continues after this advertisement“We deeply regret your loss, please proceed to the next building,” a government official tells her, referring to the location where family assistance services were being provided.
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Most bodies could not have their identities confirmed, as they were so badly damaged. The plane was destroyed after it collided with the perimeter wall and burst into flames.
Article continues after this advertisementFamily members who did not hear the names of their loved ones looked anguished as they prepared to undergo DNA tests.
Article continues after this advertisement“How long will it take to get the results?” several voices could be heard asking, only to hear fire authorities respond, “It won’t be possible tonight.”
Article continues after this advertisementLong lines of family members formed at desks manned by police personnel collecting DNA samples. Many appeared dejected — some struggling to stand, others weeping.
The long list of victims included a nine-member family who returned home from a trip meant to celebrate an 80th birthday, as well as municipal government officials on a trip to mark a colleague’s retirement.
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Earlier, a nervous silence had taken hold in the main lounge of the airport, as people clung to hopes there would be survivors.
But, as the number of victims continued to increase every hour, announced by the Land Ministry officials, sobs and screams from bereaved families began to break the silence.
Though the government officials tried their best to inform families of the latest updates, they were never able to provide enough information to satisfy them.
“We told you to speak louder! We can’t hear you” a person shouted to the Land Ministry official when an announcement was made at 6 p.m. Sunday.
“What we wanted to know are the victims whose identifications are confirmed or the procedures the families need to take to confirm the victims’ identification. Not the numbers who are dead,” another person screamed amid the announcement.
As the sun set, more cars and visitors gathered at the airport, even though it had closed and all passengers had been confirmed dead.
Friends of the bereaved offered consolation. And the bereaved families, who tried to hide their emotions or hold back from crying, burst into tears after meeting their friends who arrived at the scene.
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free slots with bonus and free spins wheel of fortuneOn the airport’s second floorbet86, temporary shelters set up by the Korean Red Cross and the Korea Housing Builders Association provided space for the bereaved, the sound of mourning carrying through the thin walls.
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