The Muan airport tragedy on December 29, 2022, marked a somber day in South Korea's history when a Jeju Air plane crash-landed and exploded at Muan International Airport. The disaster claimed the lives of 179 out of 181 people on board. As the nation grappled with grief, a wave of online hate targeted the victims' families, compounding their suffering. Authorities removed at least 427 derogatory posts, and police apprehended eight individuals for their defamatory comments. The incident occurred amid political turmoil, with the country reeling from President Yoon Suk Yeol's decision to enact martial law.
The incident, labeled a man-made disaster by some, sparked comparisons to the Sewol ferry sinking in 2014. The government had compensated victims' families with an average of 420 million won ($292,840), which many deemed excessive. This sentiment has since fueled online vitriol, as people characterized the families of the Jeju Air crash victims as "parasites squandering the nation's money."
"People who are living day by day feel the compensation is overrated and say the bereaved are getting 'unfair treatment' and that they are making a big deal when everyone's life is hard." – Koo Jeong-woo
Experts suggest that economic struggles, financial envy, and a culture of comparison contribute to this rise in hate speech. Prof Koo Jeong-woo noted that many South Koreans now view others as adversaries rather than peers.
"We feel hatred when we [think we] are getting the short end of the stick." – Joshua Uyheng
Park Guen-woo, a 22-year-old who lost his parents in the crash, became a target of online abuse. He experienced conspiracies and malicious jokes that only deepened his despair.
"Every single one of those comments cuts us deeply. We're not here to make money." – Park Guen-woo
"Too many people, instead of being sensitive, build their entertainment on others' suffering," – Park Guen-woo
Park Han-shin, whose brother died in the crash, spoke out against the scorn directed at his family.
"I am just an ordinary citizen. I am not here to enter politics. I came to find out the truth about my younger brother's death." – Park Han-shin
"It pains me deeply to see my father, who lost his brother in such a tragedy, being labelled a 'scammer'." – Park Han-shin's daughter
"That's simply not something a human being should do." – Park Han-shin
The culture of comparison in South Korea is exacerbating these tensions. Some online commenters implied that families of the Muan Airport victims had "hit the jackpot" or were secretly delighted by the compensation, revealing deep-seated resentment.
"It seems like the families of the Muan Airport victims have hit the jackpot. They must be secretly delighted," – (no attribution)
However, there are signs of hope as citizens rally together to support the bereaved. A recent article highlighted an emergency relief fund of three million won ($2,055) raised through public donations, showcasing a community's capacity for empathy and solidarity.
Professors Koo and Uyheng emphasize that reducing hate speech requires reminding people of their shared identities and promoting empathy.
"Online users should be able to report malicious posts and comments smoothly, and platform companies must actively delete such content." – Prof Koo
"The less people feel that they are on opposite ends of a zero-sum game, perhaps the more they can feel that tragedies like these are the shared concern of us all – and that victims deserve empathy and compassion, not vitriol and condemnation." – Prof Uyheng
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