Anticipated Effect of Serious Accident Punishment Act on Air Transportation Industry's Flight Safety Promotion

Abstract

The Serious Accident Punishment Act has the significance that strict legal penalties are applied to managers who cause damage to human lives in violation of safety and health measures obligations. In the aviation sector, even before the enforcement of the Serious Accident Punishment Act, the role and responsibility of CEO have long been emphasized through the application of the SMS or HFACS proposed by the ICAO. However, it was not clear what to do legally if such roles and responsibilities were not fulfilled. During COVID-19, many pointed out that Korean low-cost carrier managers lacked interest and investment in flight safety, and that they lacked consideration for recognition and immunity of mistakes to encourage employees to report on company safety issues. Since the implementation of the Major Accident Punishment Act, which was the first case on April 6, 2023, implies that not only pilots but also air transport business managers should consider safety issues together and fulfill their roles and responsibilities, air transport business managers are expected to commit more in detail and actively to promoting flight safety.