hankyoreh

Dec. 17. (by Kim Seong-gwang

On Jan. 7, prosecutors indicted Cho Hyun-ah (40, in custody) for changing the normal route of an aircraft, which is a violation of the Aviation Security Act. Cho, the former vice president of Korean Air, was onboard Korean Air flight A380 departing from New York when she forced it to return to the gate at the airport.

In addition, the prosecutors charged an executive at the company named Yeo (57, also in custody) with destroying evidence. Yeo, who is responsible for cabins at the airline, allegedly forced flight attendants to provide false testimony and played a leading role in switching out computers and destroying records after the prosecutors began their investigation.

Another indictment was issued for an individual named Kim, 54, an investigator at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport and a former employee at Korean Air, for leaking confidential information by telling Yeo about the progress of the investigation into the plane‘s return to the airport.

In addition to the charge of forcing the aircraft to change its normal route, the fifth criminal division of the west Seoul branch of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office (directed by Lee Geun-su) charged Cho with endangering the safe flight of the aircraft by assaulting cabinet crew and with forcing the purser - who plays the role of law enforcement on the plane - to disembark.

If Cho is convicted of changing the normal route of the aircraft, she could be sentenced to between one and 10 years in prison.

The prosecutors also detailed a number of facts they had confirmed during their investigation. According to the prosecutors, Cho provided false testimony during an investigation by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport; Yeo briefed her about the plan and attempt to placate the purser and a first class passenger on the plane; Cho was briefed in real time throughout the systematic effort by Korean Air to cover up the facts of the case; and she continued to give directions and to reprimand staff in connection with these efforts.

Even though Cho was aware of the destruction of evidence and the cover up that was taking place, she kept giving orders for the facts to be concealed, even rebuking employees when circumstances started moving in an unfavorable direction, the prosecutors said.

While the prosecutors promised to hold Cho “strictly responsible” for the systematic fabrication and destruction of evidence, they charged her with conspiring to obstruct justice instead of with instigating the destruction of evidence. In other words, the prosecutors claim that Cho colluded with Yeo in obstructing justice by bullying and cajoling flight attendants to provide false testimony in the Ministry’s investigation.

Yeo is being charged with concealment and destruction of evidence, coercion, and conspiracy to obstruct justice.

The prosecutors explained that Yeo compelled flight attendants on the plane to write fraudulent statements and give false testimony. Even while the main office of Korean Air was being searched, Yeo was allegedly destroying records and swapping out computers.

This kind of destruction of evidence is sometimes seen at large companies whose offices are being searched on suspicions of embezzlement, for example, the prosecutors said. Such companies want to hide the high-handed, aberrant behavior of members of the owning family.

The prosecutors described the case as an individual exploiting her personal status to bypass the legal regulations related to the safety of an aircraft.

According to the prosecutors, Cho took offense at the service of a flight attendant and engaged in illegal behavior for around 20 minutes, including verbal abuse, physical violence, and causing a scene. She also used her position as vice president of the company and her status as a relative of the group owner to compel the purser, who is responsible for safety on the plane, to disembark.

“The 247 passengers onboard had to put up with a delay, unaware of what was happening. As Cho shifted the blame for the aircraft returning to the gate to the flight attendants, not only the passengers but also the cabin crew, who were compelled to follow unlawful commands, suffered secondary damage. These actions tarnished the credibility of the company and the prestige of the country,” the prosecutors said.

The police plan to continue looking into allegations brought by civic groups that Cho was flying Korean Air for free and that public servants at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport received perks including seat upgrades.

By Oh Seung-hoon, staff reporter

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