Unspoken Guilt and Heartbreak: The Story of a Husband Who Lost His Wife in a Plane Crash

A tragic accident has left a husband waiting for his wife, who has been missing since she went on a trip abroad after seven years of farming. The story is one of heartbreak, loss, and unfulfilled promises.

A Jeju Air flight from Bangkok, carrying 175 passengers (173 South Koreans and 2 Thais) and 6 crew members, tragically crashed and exploded after departing from Muan International Airport in South Jeolla Province, South Korea. Of the 181 people on board, only two crew members survived, while the other 179 passengers lost their lives.

Upon hearing the news, the families of the passengers gathered at Muan Airport, clinging to the slim hope that their loved ones might have survived. However, as the list of fatalities was gradually revealed, their hope turned to deep sorrow.

Among the mourners was Park, whose wife, Ko, was among the victims. The couple had been married for seven years and had a 6-year-old daughter together. Park and Ko had worked hard as farmers in Gwangju, South Jeolla Province, to support their family. Their love story began after three months of dating, a whirlwind romance leading to a lifetime of shared memories.

Before leaving for her trip, Ko shared joyous news with her husband—she thought she was pregnant with their second child. Unfortunately, this would be their final conversation.

Park tearfully recalled, “When I heard the news about the second child, it gave me the strength to keep going. I was waiting for her to come back so I could welcome her and the new baby.”

Ko’s journey to Thailand was meant to be a brief reunion with her middle school friends after years of focusing on farming and raising their daughter. Tragically, she never made it back.

Reflecting on their life together, Park said, “Life as farmers was busy and difficult, but marrying my wife and sharing our daily life together remains my happiest memory.” But now, Park faces a devastating new challenge.

He has not yet told his young daughter about the tragic accident. The 6-year-old was incredibly close to her mother, and Park is unsure how to explain such a heartbreaking loss to her. With a heavy heart, he said, “I don’t know how to tell her.”

Park also revealed the guilt his wife felt before leaving for the trip. “Even though she was leaving, she felt so guilty about leaving me and our daughter behind that she purposely avoided contacting us. She said she’d be back by Saturday, and I thought I’d see her soon, but this is what happened.”

In the wake of the tragedy, the South Korean government has declared a seven-day national mourning period starting at midnight on January 4. During this period, joint memorial altars will be set up at Muan Airport in 17 cities and provinces, including South Jeolla Province, Gwangju, Seoul, and Sejong, where people can pay their respects and honor the victims.