Bereaved families of the Jeju Air crash victims grieve near the accident site at Muan International Airport, South Jeolla Province, Monday. Yonhap

Muan International Airport, where a Jeju Air passenger jet crashed, has been found to have the highest bird strike rate among the 14 regional airports in Korea, according to an opposition lawmaker Monday.

The cause of the deadly crash, which killed 179 people of the 181 people aboard on Sunday, is currently being attributed to a bird strike, with authorities conducting an investigation into the exact cause.

Concerns over bird strikes have been raised since the initial construction of the airport in Muan County, South Jeolla Province, as the area, located near the country's western coast, features expansive plains and mudflats that attract large numbers of migratory birds.

According to Korea Airports Corp. data submitted to Rep. Lee Yeon-hee of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, a total of 559 bird strike incidents occurred at 14 regional airports managed by the state-run company from 2019 to August this year.

Gimhae International Airport had the highest number of bird strikes at 147, followed by Gimpo at 140, Jeju at 119, Daegu at 38 and Cheongju at 33.

At Muan, a total of 10 bird strike incidents have occurred. However, when considering the occurrence rate relative to the total number of flights operated, the airport near Muan has the highest rate among the 14 airports.

From January 2019 to August 2024, 11,004 flights were operated at Muan, with the bird strike rate recorded at 0.09 percent.

In comparison, Gimhae airport, which experienced the highest number of bird strike incidents, had a lower occurrence rate of 0.03 percent when considering the number of flights, ranking eighth among the 14 airports.

Jeju airport, with the highest number of flights at 926,699, and Gimpo airport, with 757,479 flights, had lower occurrence rates of 0.01 percent and 0.02 percent, respectively.

The wreckage and remnants of the crashed Jeju Air passenger plane remain on the runway at Muan International Airport, South Jeolla Province, Monday. Yonhap

Not all bird strikes result in damage. Out of 559 incidents, only 20 were classified as causing damage, meaning approximately 3.58 percent led to aircraft damage.

However, bird strikes are still considered the primary safety threat to aircraft.

According to a report by the Korea Environment Institute, both airports and birds share the common characteristic of flight, meaning that areas most suitable for airports often overlap with those ideal for bird habitats.

Lee Geun-young, a professor at the Korea National University of Transportation, said, "Airports are typically built in areas with no obstacles and minimal noise disruption, which is why they are often located along coastlines, and naturally, birds are found in these areas."

Experts also noted that it is inaccurate to single out Muan Airport as being located in an area with an unusually high number of migratory birds, given that Incheon International Airport, the country's primary gateway, was built on reclaimed tidal flats that also serve as migratory bird habitats.

In addition, both Gimpo and Gimhae airports are located near such areas.

"It is not correct to say that the airport in Muan is particularly vulnerable to bird strikes. Bird strikes can occur at any airport," Lee said.

Bird strike incidents are not only a concern in Korea but also around the world.

According to the International Civil Aviation Organization, a total of 97,751 bird strikes occurred across 196 countries from 2008 to 2015. This averages around 14,000 incidents per year.

While airports, both domestically and internationally, have implemented measures such as radar detection systems, drones to scare away birds and habitat management, concerns remain that these solutions may not fully address the root causes of the problem.

This has led to calls for comprehensive measures, including research on bird ecosystems and improved management of airport surroundings, to effectively mitigate the risks of bird strikes.