South Korea suspended four more Boeing 737 Next Generation (NG) after the government found cracks in fuselage, raising the number of grounded airplanes to 13.

According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on Monday, there are a total 150 Boeing 737 NG models operating in Korea. Of them, the ministry completed safety inspections on 100 models as of Sunday, including 79 planes that have taken off and landed more than 20,000 times and 21 planes less than 20,000 times.

In its latest inspection, four of 37 Boeing 737 NG airplanes that have taken off and landed 20,000 to 30,000 times have been immediately grounded after structural crack was found. Nine planes have already been grounded since last month after inspection on 42 models that have operated more than 30,000 times due to the flaw, removing total 13 airplanes from service for repair.

The transport ministry said that information on the crack of 13 models has been sent to the airplane manufacturer Boeing Co. for technology review and consultation. The U.S. company dispatched an emergency repair team to Korea on October 31 for sequential repair work from the following day.

Repair work involves completely replacing cracked component in the airplane, which takes about two weeks per aircraft. Repair work of all 13 airplanes is expected to be completed in early January. Of the 13, five are under Korean Air, three under Jin Air, three under Jeju Air, and two under Eastar Jet.

Amid growing safety concerns about Boeing 737 NG airplanes, Kim Kyung-wook, second vice land, infrastructure, and transport minister visited the maintenance garage where repair work is being done at Korean Air headquarters in Gangseo District in western Seoul.

Kim said that the ministry will conduct safety inspections on remaining 50 Boeing 737 NG models that have operated less than 20,000 times by November 25 and that it will pay full attention in securing aircraft safety through thorough management and monitoring on Boeing 737 NG models.

The transport ministry plans to conduct regular inspection on other Boeing 737 NG airplanes that have been approved in the latest round.

It will also tighten safety monitoring on operations so that airlines whose Boeing airplanes have been suspended do not overrun operations. The transport ministry said it will advise airlines to check first of any structural cracks when bringing in new Boeing 737 NG models and allow only those without any structural flaw to operate in the country.

By Lee Eun-joo

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