News Wrap: South Korea orders inspection of entire aviation sector after crash kills 179

Nick Schifrin:

The day's other news begins in South Korea, where the acting president today ordered an inspection of the nation's entire aviation sector after yesterday's crash south of Seoul that killed 179 people.

Only two survived when the Jeju Airlines Boeing 737-800 skidded off the runway and exploded, both of them crew members.

Here's Stephanie Sy.

Stephanie Sy:

An anguished man cries out among a sea of forlorn faces. Families of the victims of one of the deadliest air disasters in South Korean history want answers.

Park Han Shin, Family Member of Victim (through interpreter): What we have to demand from the government is to bring in more experts. We have wanted the government to recover our families 100 percent, or at least 80 percent, as soon as possible.

Stephanie Sy:

Park Han Shin's brother was one of 181 people on board Jeju Air Flight 7C-2216. It was flying from Bangkok and belly-landed in Muan.

Without its landing gear deployed, the plane overshot the runway, barreling at high speed straight into a concrete wall. Nearly everyone on board died as the plane burst into flames. Only two crew members survived. They were pulled out from the tail of the aircraft.

Park Han Shin (through interpreter):

The bodies are so severely damaged that we're in a situation where we need to recover and piece them together one by one. That's the current reality.

Stephanie Sy:

In the packed airport, Jeju Air executive Lee Jung-Suk bowed in remorse.

Lee Jung-Suk, Chief Finance Officer, Jeju Air (through translator):

We will take full responsibility and accept any necessary measures. Once again, I offer my deepest apologies.

Stephanie Sy:

Today, investigators are sifting through the wreckage for evidence. The black box has been recovered. It could reveal what transpired leading up to the tragic landing, but that data won't yield immediate answers.

What is known is that Korean air traffic controllers had warned the pilots of the possibility of a bird strike just before landing. Some experts say that alone is unlikely to be the cause of such a major crash and other factors bear scrutiny.

David Learmount, Aviation Expert:

I'm pretty shocked, actually, because whatever happened to the airplane which meant that the pilot couldn't get the flaps and gear down for the landing was not actually what caused the death of the passengers.

The passengers were killed by hitting a solid structure just over the end of the runway, where a solid structure should not be.

Stephanie Sy:

The ill-fated plane was a Boeing 737-800 used by 180 airlines around the world, making up about 15 percent of the global passenger aircraft fleet.

The government ordered an inspection of every Boeing 737-800 operating in the country. Boeing said it's in touch with Jeju Air for the investigation.

The grim tragedy struck at a time when the country is dealing with political upheaval at the highest level. This month, President Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached after imposing a short-lived martial law decree that angered the nation. The acting president, Choi Sang-mok, has announced a weeklong period of mourning.

For the "PBS News Hour," I'm Stephanie Sy.

Nick Schifrin:

Also today, President Biden announced another $2.5 billion in U.S. military aid to Ukraine, the latest step to help Ukraine's war effort before president-elect Trump takes office next month. The package includes $1.25 billion in missiles, munitions and other hardware that the U.S. says can be moved to the battlefield quickly. The rest comes in the form of weapons delivered longer term.

Separately, the Treasury Department announced $3.4 billion in economic assistance to Ukraine. The military assistance comes as some 300 Ukrainian and Russian captives were freed in the latest prisoner swap. Some Ukrainian troops had been held since the early days of the war. Today, they reunited with loved ones.

Vasyl Neshcheret, Ukrainian Border Guard (through interpreter):

I'm serving and will continue to serve our country, Ukraine. The most important thing is that I am on my land. I saw my country's flag and my family. This is just the best. It's just amazing, after everything that happened to us in Russia, after what they did to us.

Nick Schifrin:

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the United Arab Emirates for helping to negotiate the exchange.

In Afghanistan, the Taliban leadership says it will close all nongovernmental organizations, both national and international, that employ Afghan women. The Taliban didn't say exactly why, but have for the last two years warned that NGOs have to stop employing women because of concerns they weren't wearing headscarves properly.

In a letter published on social media, the economy ministry warned that, if groups did not cooperate — quote — "All activities of that institution will be canceled. Since retaking control of Afghanistan in 2021, the Taliban have barred women from most jobs, from public spaces, and from education after middle school.

A federal appeals court upheld a $5 million verdict against president-elect Trump for sexually abusing and defaming E. Jean Carroll. The magazine columnist had claimed Trump assaulted her in a Manhattan department store in the mid-1990s. The three-judge panel found that Trump did not sufficiently make the case that the May 2023 verdict should be thrown out.

In a separate case, a jury ordered Trump to pay her more than $83 million in damages for defamation related to the assault accusation. Trump denies any wrongdoing and is still appealing that verdict.

The U.S. Treasury Department revealed today that Chinese state hackers stole documents earlier this month in what it called a major incident. A Treasury spokesperson said the hackers — quote — "were able to remotely access several Treasury user workstations and certain unclassified documents."

In a letter to lawmakers seen by the "News Hour," the department added there is no evidence of continued access to Treasury information. This comes in the wake of a massive Chinese hacking campaign against at least nine American telecom companies which U.S. officials admit is still ongoing. China has previously denied any wrongdoing.

On Wall Street today, stocks ended lower as traders prepare to close the books on an otherwise strong 2024. The Dow Jones industrial average dropped more than 400 points, or nearly 1 percent. The Nasdaq fell more than 200 points on the day. The S&P 500 also ended in negative territory.

And a passing of note., Broadway actress turned sitcom star Linda Lavin has died. In the 1970s and '80s, Lavin played the title character in "Alice," delivering a weekly serving of laughs as a diner waitress raising a young son.

Linda Lavin, Actress:

Where did you get that?

Actor:

From Roger. I traded my electric guitar for it.

Linda Lavin:

You what?

(Laughter)

Actress:

He traded his electric guitar.

Linda Lavin:

I heard him!

(Laughter)

Nick Schifrin:

The sitcom aired on CBS for nearly a decade, becoming a prime-time hit and earning Lavin two Golden Globes.

Following "Alice," she returned to the stage, where in 1987 she won a Tony Award for her performance in Neil Simon's "Broadway Bound." Lavin's representative says she died yesterday from complications related to lung cancer. She was 87 years old.