Acting President Choi Sang-mok speaks during a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters at the government complex in Seoul on Saturday, about measures to deal with the Jeju Air plane crash in the southwestern county of Muan on Dec. 29, 2024. (Yonhap)
Acting President Choi Sang-mok speaks during a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters at the government complex in Seoul on Saturday, about measures to deal with the Jeju Air plane crash in the southwestern county of Muan on Dec. 29, 2024. (Yonhap)

The government will continue to offer full support to the families of the 179 victims of the deadly Jeju Air crash, acting President Choi Sang-mok said Tuesday, as funeral proceedings were expected to conclude in the near future.

The bodies of all victims have been handed over to their families as of Monday, according to Choi. The Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 flight, carrying 181 passengers and crew, crashed at Muan International Airport on Dec. 29, leaving only two survivors.

"Even after the funeral procedures are completed, the government will carefully ensure that no difficulty faced by the bereaved families goes unnoticed, and we will provide meticulous support until all issues are resolved," Choi said during a disaster control meeting.

He also emphasized that the government, in cooperation with local agencies, will maintain communication channels with the families to continuously identify and address their needs.

For instance, psychological support teams have been established to help the emotional recovery of the bereaved families and those involved in the accident response, he noted.

Emergency living expenses for the victims' families will start being distributed Friday, Choi added.

The Financial Services Commission will support bereaved families by extending their loan maturities, he said. Additionally, if they require new financing, special guarantees will be provided through the state-run Korea Credit Guarantee Fund. (Yonhap)