All South Korean airports will install thermal imaging cameras and bird detection radar systems, according to reports from several Korean media outlets.
This decision follows a preliminary report by the by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) of South Korea on January 27, 2025, which blamed a bird strike for the deadly crash of a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 at Muan International Airport (MWX).
Currently, only four of South Korea’s airports, Incheon (ICN), Gimpo (GMP), Gimhae (PUS) and Jeju International Airport (CJU), are equipped with thermal imaging cameras for bird detection.
An additional 11 airports will soon be equipped with this technology, with the procurement process starting in March 2025 and the rollout expected to take place, in 2026.
This is not the only measure that has been drafted with the aim of preventing bird strike incidents in the future.
The airports will also be fitted with sonic devices to scare away birds and the number of staff dedicated to bird strike prevention will also be increased. With this measure, Korean aviation authorities want to make sure there are always at least two members of staff on bird strike prevention duties. A safety audit conducted right after the Jeju Air crash revealed that several of Korea’s airports only have one person dedicated to bird prevention tasks during nighttime and at weekends.
The South Korean government will also evaluate measures to move facilities that may attract birds, such as waste dumps, away from airports in yet another effort to prevent a bird-induced accident from happening again.
