Korean Air confirmed that it has dismissed two pilots involved in a fistfight stemming from a dispute over the removal of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. The airline stated in a press release on Monday that the incident occurred after a flight from Incheon to Brisbane on December 19 last year.
The altercation did not take place during the flight, but on December 3, 2024, between two pilots discussing the martial law imposed by the former president. The two pilots, identified as Captain A and First Officer B, got into a physical fight while conversing about the issue at a hotel. According to the Korea Herald, both pilots sustained injuries requiring medical attention. The captain was transferred to a local hospital, and the first officer was also injured.
Korean Air’s disciplinary committee dismissed both pilots for safety and professionalism reasons following the incident. Additionally, a third captain was suspended for three months in connection with the event. According to Chosun Biz, the airline clarified that “the incident occurred at the hotel where they were staying, but it did not affect flight operations.” The company also announced that it had conducted internal training to prevent a recurrence of the incident.
After the incident, Korean Air had to assign an alternative crew for the return flight scheduled two days later, as the pilots were incapacitated.
According to Korea JoongAng Daily, the pilots filed a complaint with the regional labor commission after the incident.
These events came shortly after the Constitutional Court of South Korea approved the removal of President Yoon Suk Yeol. In an early morning ruling on Friday, the Constitutional Court found that Yoon’s imposition of martial law last December was unjustified and dismissed him from office. The country will hold early elections to elect a new president to replace Yoon.
In a unanimous decision, the court concluded that Yoon’s martial law decision was unnecessary given the country’s situation at that time. Deputy Chief Justice Moon Hyung-bae stated that there was no national emergency in the country at the time and that martial law could have been resolved through other means, aside from the military’s deployment.
