The revised version of the Aviation Security Act, also known as the ‘Peanut Fly back Protection Law’, passed the Assembly plenary session on December 28. The law will strengthen penalties on illegal acts or disturbances in airplanes during flight. (Image : Yonhap)
SEJONG, Dec.29 (Korea Bizwire) – The revised version of the Aviation Security Act, also known as the ‘Peanut Fly back Protection Law’, passed the Assembly plenary session on December 28. The law will strengthen penalties on illegal acts or disturbances in airplanes during flight.
Governor of the Construction and Transportation Committee, Ha Tae-kyung proposed a revision of the Aviation Security Act in July after Cho Hyun-ah, Vice President of Korean Air Lines at the time, issued a fly back over a can of macadamia nuts served by a flight attendant on December 5, 2014.
The current penalty for hindering the captain’s duties is a ‘fine of less than 5 million won’. As the bill passes, this penalty will be elevated to ‘less than 5 years in jail or a fine of less than 50 million won’.
The captain is obliged to turn in the person who committed the crime to the police; not doing so will incur a fine of no more than 10 million won.
Singer Bobby Kim caused disturbance in the vessel while intoxicated. (Image : Yonhap)
Also, the fines for causing disturbance inside the vessel or for harming others while being intoxicated will be escalated to ‘no more than 10 million won’ from the current ‘less than 5 million won’ fine.
The number of illegal acts in aircrafts has continuously increased from the year 2013 which had 203 cases to 354 cases in 2014, and finally to 369 cases in the year, 2015.
Some recent examples are Singer Kim Jang-hoon getting caught for smoking in the bathroom of a French aircraft and also singer Bobby Kim causing disturbance in the vessel while intoxicated.
Retired pro boxer Choi was arrested for boarding the craft with a thermos filled with soju, for kicking the front seat and for assaulting the flight attendant.
Governor Ha claims that the Aviation Security Act is an important mean to protect the security of passengers. The revised bill which passed the Assembly plenary session will be promulgated after going through deliberation processes.
By M.H.Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
