[theqoo] JANG WONYOUNG’S AIRPORT DEPARTURE CONTROVERSY ULTIMATELY LEADS TO CHANGE IN GUIDELINES

The controversy surrounding IVE member Jang Wonyoung during her departure screening has ultimately led to improvements in the way information is provided.

On the 16th, it was confirmed that the Korea Airports Corporation is moving forward with a plan to revise its information channels, including its website, with a focus on strengthening the guidance procedures for passengers departing the country. An official explained, “We are reviewing ways to enhance the information provided on departure guidance boards, and we plan to proceed in that direction.”

This means the corporation will directly revise its guidance procedures in response to the identity verification controversy sparked by the video of Jang Wonyoung departing from Gimpo Airport.

The Corporation’s policy is to conduct identity verification uniformly for all passengers at its 14 airports nationwide, in accordance with the Aviation Security Standard Operating Procedures, which stipulate that “if an item covering the face (such as a hat, sunglasses, or mask) is present, the passenger must be asked to remove it before identity verification is conducted.”

The controversy dates back to the 30th of last month. On that day, Jang Wonyoung departed for Shanghai, China, via Gimpo International Airport. During the departure process, she underwent identity verification by airport staff. An employee asked her to lower her mask for facial verification, and Jang Wonyoung complied with the procedure by lifting her hat and lowering her mask.

However, criticism arose from the video suggesting that Jang Wonyoung did not properly comply with the staff member’s request.

This eventually led to a formal complaint. It was reported by this newspaper that a complaint was filed on the 15th with the Security Management Department of the Gimpo Airport Operations Unit at the Korea Airports Corporation, requesting clarification of the identity verification procedures and official guidelines at the international departure hall of Gimpo International Airport.

The complaint pointed out that while Incheon International Airport clearly states in its guidelines during the first stage of security screening, “Please temporarily remove your mask, hat, and sunglasses to verify your identity,” Gimpo International Airport’s guidance on this matter is unclear.

The complainant stated, “If this is a procedure that passengers must actually follow, it should be easy for anyone to verify,” and requested that, if regulations exist, the name of the regulation, the responsible department, and the relevant clause be disclosed, along with an explanation of whether the procedure is applied uniformly to all passengers across all airports under its jurisdiction, including Gimpo International Airport.

In response, the Corporation stated, “We plan to actively guide and publicize passenger identity verification procedures through various methods, including posting them on our website, in the future.”