South Korean aviation officials said Tuesday that they plan to conduct a safety inspection of six foreign airlines that have high accident rates and records of poor maintenance.

The measure came after a plane belonging to a Phnom Penh-based Cambodian airliner, PMT Air, went missing on Monday. The plane is believed to have crashed in southern Cambodia with 22 people aboard, including 13 South Koreans. The aircraft has not yet been discovered, as heavy rain and winds have grounded search helicopters.

"As PMT also does business at Incheon International Airport, a special safety inspection for the airline will be carried out until July 6," said Chung Sang-ho, head of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

PMT Air has recorded at least three major accidents or in-flight emergencies over the past two years.

Along with PMT Air, five other companies -- Garuda Indonesia, Royal Khmer Airlines, SAT Airlines, Vladivostok Air and Dalavia -- will be subject to inspection due to their records of accidents and maintenance negligence, according to the official.

Chung added that his agency plans to disclose a list of airlines with high accident rates, as well as strengthen safety maintenance regulations of noted airlines.

The Transportation Ministry announced earlier in the year that it plans to introduce a safety watch list of carriers with high risks of accidents, similar to the one initiated by the European Union (EU) last year, which placed restrictions on 179 airlines from 14 nations over safety concerns.

SEOUL, June 26 (Yonhap News)