South Korea's transportation ministry said Tuesday it will file a formal complaint with the prosecution against a former vice president of Korean Air and take disciplinary measures against the carrier for forcing a flight crew member off the plane over nut-serving etiquette. 
   
"Based on what it has learned so far from its own investigation, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has decided to file a complaint against Cho Hyun-ah, former vice president of Korean Air, over the incident that took place at New York's JFK Airport (on Dec. 5, New York time)," the ministry said in a press release.
   
The ministry, however, said the charges against Cho may only include disturbance and verbal abuse against crew members instead of safety violations. Punitive measures against the airline may include business suspension, it said
  

"As it has been confirmed through testimonies of some crew members and passengers of the flight that the former vice president of Korean Air used violent language in a loud voice, the ministry believes she may have violated Article 23 of the Aviation Safety Law, which requires the cooperation of passengers on a flight, and we will file a complaint with the prosecution before the day's end," it said.
   
The government's move, however, comes after the prosecution has already announced plans to summon Cho for questioning over the incident.
   
The Seoul Western Prosecutors' Office probing the case has told Cho to appear for questioning Wednesday afternoon. 
   
"It is difficult to reveal details of the investigation, but the prosecution will thoroughly look into investigative records (of the transportation ministry) as Cho has been summoned tomorrow," said a prosecutor close to the probe. 
   
According to inside sources, prosecutors are considering seeking an arrest warrant for the former vice president.
 
Shares of Korean Air fell 0.31 percent Tuesday to close at 48,450 won despite favorable market conditions for the company from plunging oil prices. Its rival Asiana Airlines, in contrast, jumped
5.88 percent to end at 7,020 won.  
   
Cho, 40, resigned last week after a national uproar over her conduct aboard the flight. She ordered the chief purser of the plane that was already on the taxiway to get off because she was displeased about the way she was served her macadamia nuts -- in an unopened pack instead of on a plate. She chastised the crew for not following the service manual for first-class passengers.
   
The flight, with some 250 other passengers aboard, had to return to the gate to deplane the purser, causing an 11-minute delay in its arrival at Incheon.
   
For the delay, the ministry found the captain of the flight at fault.
   
"The captain's failure to command and supervise flight crew members for the safe operation of the flight is in violation of the Aviation Safety Law Article 115," it said.
   
For this, the government will take its own disciplinary measure against Korean Air, which, it said, may result in a suspension of business or a fine.
   
The captain, nevertheless, will not be held personally responsible, the ministry said, since the "organizational culture" of the company or how the company's owner runs the firm may have left the captain with no other choice but to follow Cho's orders.
   
"The disciplinary actions will be taken against the company," Kwon Yong-bok, head of the ministry's aviation security division, told a press briefing.
   
"Considering the special relationship between Cho and the pilot (or between the owner and an employee), I do not think that prosecuting the pilot is possible," he added.
   
Korean Air will also be subject to an intense government review for any company practice that may jeopardize the safety of flights and passengers, the ministry said.
   
"The ministry plans to form a special safety inspection team to see if Korean Air's organizational culture has any effect on safety," Kwon said.
   
"In case there is such an impact on safety, the government will take special measures."
   
When asked about Cho's alleged use of physical violence against the chief purser, ministry officials said the former vice president has denied the accusation.
   
"The government has decided to submit all its findings from its own investigation to the prosecution and wait for the prosecution's decision on the issue as it was unable to confirm whether there was an assault," Kwon said. (Yonhap)