[Sportschosun, Lee Gae-eun] A claim has surfaced that broadcaster Park Soo-hong and his wife, Kim Da-ye, got off an international flight because their daughter would not stop crying, then reboarded, causing the departure to be delayed by about an hour. The allegation has sparked heated debate among online users.
On the 25th, reports spread through online communities that Korean Air flight KE415, bound for Guam on the 23rd, had been delayed.
According to the posts, Park Soo-hong's family had boarded the business class cabin, but after their daughter kept crying, they decided to disembark. They also removed their luggage, then reboarded after saying the child had finally stopped crying. They later apologized to fellow passengers.
One online user said, "I watched the boarding video, and Park Soo-hong is apologizing, while the baby is screaming and crying." Photos also showed staff retrieving the family's luggage at the time.
Reactions were divided. Some users criticized the family's behavior as inconsiderate, while others defended them, saying, "The child must have cried so much for it to come to that. Isn't apologizing enough?" Some also raised suspicions that they may have received special treatment because they are celebrities.
In fact, according to an official newsroom release Korean Air published in 2023, voluntary deplaning can cause both tangible and intangible harm to the airline and other passengers. The airline advised that "unless there is an unavoidable reason, passengers should refrain from requesting voluntary deplaning." Questions are now growing over whether Park Soo-hong's family's case followed the same procedure that would apply to ordinary passengers.
joyjoy90@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
