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Korean Air Flight 858

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Korean Air Flight 858
Company typePassenger airline service
IndustryAviation
Headquarters
Seoul
,
South Korea
ProductsInternational passenger air transport

Korean Air Flight 858 Incident

Korean Air Flight 858 was an international passenger service operating between Baghdad, Iraq, and Seoul, South Korea. On 29 November 1987, the aircraft on this route was destroyed mid-flight due to a bomb concealed within an overhead compartment in the cabin. This explosive device had been placed by two operatives from North Korea.

Following directives from the North Korean regime, the agents planted the bomb during the initial layover in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, before disembarking. While en route over the Andaman Sea toward its subsequent stop in Bangkok, Thailand, the bomb detonated, obliterating the Korean Air Boeing 707-3B5C. All 115 individuals on board—comprising 104 passengers and 11 crew members, predominantly South Korean nationals—perished. This act of terrorism took place 34 years after the Korean Armistice Agreement concluded hostilities in the Korean War on 27 July 1953.

The perpetrators were later identified in Bahrain, where both attempted suicide by ingesting cyanide capsules hidden inside cigarettes upon impending arrest. The male operative died, while the female, Kim Hyon-hui, survived and subsequently admitted responsibility for the bombing. Though sentenced to death following her trial, she was granted clemency by South Korean President Roh Tae-woo after it was determined she had been indoctrinated by North Korean authorities. Kim's testimony implicated Kim Jong Il—then heir apparent to North Korea’s leadership—as bearing ultimate responsibility for orchestrating the attack. The U.S. Department of State classifies the destruction of KAL 858 as a "terrorist act" and has included North Korea on its list of State Sponsors of Terrorism during most years since then.

Since this incident, diplomatic ties between North and South Korea have remained largely stagnant, despite four Inter-Korean summits aimed at fostering dialogue. Kim Hyon-hui later published The Tears of My Soul, recounting her training at a North Korean military espionage academy and revealing that Kim Jong Il personally ordered the operation. Branded a traitor by her homeland, she became an outspoken critic of North Korea after relocating to South Korea. Currently living under strict protection in exile due to threats against her life by North Korean agents, Kim expressed remorse at a 1990 press conference: "Being a culprit, I do have a sense of agony with which I must fight. In that sense I must still be a prisoner or a captive—of a sense of guilt."

Background

On 12 November 1987, two operatives from North Korea, Kim Sung-Il (Template:Korean) and Kim Hyon-hui, departed from Pyongyang, North Korea, aboard a flight bound for Moscow, the capital city of the Soviet Union.[1] The following morning, they continued their journey to Budapest, Hungary, where they remained for six days at the residence of another North Korean agent.[1] On 18 November, the duo traveled by car to Vienna, Austria. After crossing into Austria, the handler who had hosted them in Budapest provided them with two counterfeit Japanese passports, assuming the identities of tourists named Shinichi Hachiya (蜂谷 眞一 Hachiya Shin'ichi) and his daughter Mayumi Hachiya (蜂谷 眞由美 Hachiya Mayumi). They stayed at the Am Parkring Hotel in Vienna and purchased airline tickets through Austrian Airlines for a route from Vienna to Belgrade, then onward to Baghdad, Abu Dhabi, and finally Bahrain.[1] Additionally, tickets were bought for a flight from Abu Dhabi to Rome, Italy, intended for their escape following the placement of the bomb on the KAL flight.[1]

On 27 November, two handlers who had traveled by train from Vienna to Yugoslavia handed over a time bomb concealed within a Japanese-made Panasonic transistor radio. This device contained explosives, a detonator, and a bottle of liquid explosive disguised as liquor to enhance the blast.[2][3] The next day, they boarded an Iraqi Airways flight from Belgrade to Saddam International Airport in Baghdad.[2] At the airport, they waited approximately three and a half hours for KAL 858—their target—which departed around 11:30 p.m.[2] The operatives placed the improvised explosive device above seats 7B and 7C before disembarking at Abu Dhabi International Airport.[2]

Following the bombing, the agents attempted to fly from Abu Dhabi to Amman, Jordan—the initial stage of their planned escape. However, complications arose with airport authorities concerning their travel visas, forcing them instead to fly to Bahrain. There, they planned to continue on to Rome.[2] Suspicion grew among officials in Bahrain regarding their travel patterns, and their passports were discovered to be counterfeit.[2] Facing imminent arrest, both agents tried to commit suicide by ingesting cyanide concealed within cigarettes. Kim Sung-il (using the alias Shinichi Hachiya) was hospitalized but died shortly thereafter. Conversely, Kim Hyon-hui (posing as Mayumi Hachiya), aged 25, survived.[4] Kim Sung-il’s remains were repatriated to South Korea and interred at the Cemetery for North Korean and Chinese Soldiers.[5]

Aircraft

The airplane assigned to Flight 858 was a Boeing 707-3B5C, bearing the registration Template:Airreg. This model, the sole 707 acquired by the airline, first took to the skies in 1971. At the moment of its destruction, the aircraft had been in service for 16 years and had logged approximately 36,000 flight hours. Approximately one month prior to the incident, it had undergone repainting to feature the updated Korean Air colors, including an official decal promoting the upcoming 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul.

Flight and explosion

Flight 858 departed from Saddam International Airport (which was later renamed Baghdad International Airport) in Baghdad, Iraq, at around 11:30 p.m. local time (20:30 UTC), destined for Gimpo International Airport located in Gangseo District, Seoul, South Korea. The journey included scheduled stops at Abu Dhabi International Airport in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, and Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok, Thailand.

During the second segment of the trip, traveling from Abu Dhabi to Thailand, KAL 858 carried a total of 104 passengers along with 11 crew members.[6] At approximately 2:05 p.m. Korean Standard Time (05:05 UTC),[2] about nine hours after a bomb had been placed on board and nearing the conclusion of this leg, an explosion occurred. The aircraft crashed into the Andaman Sea (Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found.), roughly eighteen miles (16 nmi; 29 km) west of Myanmar’s coastline, resulting in the loss of all 115 individuals on board. Just before the blast, the pilot sent his last radio communication stating: "We expect to arrive in Bangkok on time. Time and location normal."[2]

Out of those aboard, 113 were South Korean citizens, accompanied by one Indian and one Lebanese passenger.[7] A significant portion of the South Korean passengers were young laborers returning home after several years working in Middle Eastern construction projects.[7] Among those on board were also a South Korean diplomat stationed at the embassy in Baghdad and his spouse,[7] though it remains unclear whether they were specifically targeted.[8] Debris from the crash was discovered inland within Thailand,[9] approximately 140 kilometres (87 mi; 76 nmi) away from where the explosion is believed to have taken place. Neither the flight data recorder nor the cockpit voice recorder were recovered.[8]

Investigation

During a United Nations Security Council session, it was revealed that on 15 December 1987, Kim was relocated to Seoul, South Korea, where she recuperated from the poisoning. Initially, she claimed to be a Chinese orphan raised in Japan and denied any involvement in the bombing.[10] Suspicion increased when, during interrogation in Bahrain, she assaulted a police officer and attempted to seize his firearm before being detained. The primary evidence presented against Kim at the hearing involved cigarettes found in her possession; laboratory tests identified them as the same brand used by several other North Korean agents previously captured in South Korea.[10] Another significant piece of evidence linked to Kim was the dental work of her companion Kim Sung Il, whose cavities had been filled with soldered lead—a dental treatment method commonly practiced in North Korea.[11]

File:Handball at the 1988 Summer Olympics.JPEG
In January 1988, Kim publicly stated during a press conference that the Government of North Korea orchestrated the attack to intimidate teams from participating in the 1988 Seoul Olympics.[12]

At the United Nations Security Council, South Korea’s representative Choi Young-jin described how, after eight days of questioning in South Korea, Kim was shown footage depicting daily life in Seoul. This exposure led her to recognize that "life ... on the streets of Seoul was entirely different from what she had been led to believe." She had been indoctrinated with the notion that South Korea was an American-controlled puppet state plagued by poverty and corruption. Upon witnessing the reality of South Korean society, Choi reported that "she began to realize that what she had been told while living in the North was totally untrue."[10] Subsequently, Kim "threw herself into the arms of a female investigator" and admitted responsibility for the bombing.[10] Speaking in Korean, she expressed remorse: "Forgive me. I am sorry. I will tell you everything,"[10] acknowledging that she had been "exploited as a tool for North Korean terrorist activities" and provided a thorough and voluntary confession.[10]

Template:Rquote

Kim explained that their planned escape route involved traveling from Abu Dhabi through Amman to Rome; however, visa difficulties forced them to divert to Bahrain.[2] She disclosed that she had operated undercover for three years while preparing for this mission. According to her statements to investigators, at age sixteen she was selected by the Workers' Party of Korea and received training in multiple languages. Three years later, she attended a clandestine elite espionage academy managed by the North Korean Army, where she was instructed in hand-to-hand combat as well as rifle and grenade use. This program subjected her to intense physical and psychological conditioning over several years. In 1987, at 25 years old, Kim was assigned to detonate an explosive on a South Korean airliner—an act intended to achieve permanent reunification of her divided homeland.

In January 1988, during a press conference organized by the Agency for National Security Planning, South Korea's intelligence agency, Kim publicly admitted that both she and her accomplice were agents from North Korea. She revealed they had concealed a radio device containing 350 grams of C-4 explosive along with a liquor bottle holding roughly 700 ml of PLX explosive on board, equipped with a timer set to detonate nine hours after departing Baghdad,[13] stowed in an overhead compartment within the passenger cabin. Expressing regret for her involvement, Kim sought forgiveness from the victims’ families and stated that the bombing order had been "personally penned" by Kim Jong Il—the son of North Korea’s supreme leader Kim Il Sung. The motive was reportedly to destabilize South Korea’s government ahead of its upcoming parliamentary elections, disrupt international participation in the forthcoming 1988 Summer Olympics hosted in Seoul,[12] and instill fear among foreign teams. She acknowledged her culpability by stating: "It is natural that I should be punished and killed a hundred times for my sin."[3] Journalist Peter Maass wrote in The Washington Post on 15 January 1988 that it remained unclear whether Kim’s statements were made under coercion or stemmed from genuine remorse.[14] Following this confession, Kim was sentenced to death for orchestrating the bombing of KAL 858,[15][16] though she was subsequently granted clemency by South Korean President Roh Tae-woo.[8] President Roh remarked: "The persons who ought to be on trial here are the leaders of North Korea," emphasizing that "This child is as much a victim of this evil regime as the passengers aboard KAL 858."

Potential identification of aircraft debris

In January 2020, a news crew from South Korea's Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation announced a possible discovery of the primary wreckage at approximately 52 metres (170 ft) beneath the Andaman Sea. Following tips from local fishermen, they utilized sonar technology which detected an object resembling a wing measuring about 10 metres (33 ft) in length, alongside a fuselage-like section approximately 27 metres (90 ft) long.Template:Fix/category[citation needed] Underwater camera footage, albeit unclear, was broadcast on South Korean television.[17] Despite the absence of official verification that this debris belonged to KAL 858 or confirmation of its exact location, certain victim families convened a press event urging authorities to recover the fuselage.[18]

North Korea

File:Kim Jong Il.JPG
Testimony from Kim Hyon-hui implicated Kim Jong Il, son of North Korea’s supreme leader Kim Il Sung, as ultimately responsible for the bombing[12]

The United States State Department designates the bombing of KAL 858 explicitly as a "terrorist act" and, except for the period between 2008 and 2017, has consistently listed North Korea as a State Sponsors of Terrorism member,[19] relying on findings from South Korean investigations. In January 1988, Charles E. Redman, then Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs, described the event as an "act of mass murder," asserting that the administration found the evidence linking North Korea to be convincing and urged all nations to denounce North Korea for this terrorist offense.[20] The incident was thoroughly discussed during multiple United Nations Security Council sessions where all parties presented their allegations and supporting evidence,[21][22] yet no formal resolution was adopted.[23] North Korea persistently denies any role in the KAL 858 bombing, labeling it a "fabrication" orchestrated by South Korean authorities and other nations.[8]

Following his father’s death, Kim Jong Il assumed leadership of North Korea in 1994.[24] In 2001, when Kim Jong Il visited Seoul, right-wing activists along with relatives of those who perished in the attack called for his arrest on terrorism charges.[25] Two formal petitions were submitted against him, with petitioners citing compelling evidence—including testimony linked to Kim himself—indicating his ultimate responsibility for the bombing. They also demanded a public apology and official compensation for the families affected.[25] Lee Chul-sung, a lawyer leading a right-wing South Korean group, stated, "If Kim Jong Il visits Seoul without acknowledging his crimes and offering an apology and compensation, he must be arrested and punished."[25] Despite these demands, Kim Jong Il was not detained during his visit. He passed away in December 2011 and was succeeded by his son, Kim Jong Un.[26]

Kim Hyon-hui

Main article: Kim Hyon-hui

Template:Rquote

In 1993, The Tears of My Soul was released by William Morrow and Company, presenting Kim’s personal narrative of her indoctrination as a North Korean intelligence operative and her execution of the KAL 858 bombing. Demonstrating remorse for her actions, Kim contributed all earnings from the book to the families affected by the KAL 858 tragedy.[27] The memoir chronicles her formative training period and experiences in China, Macao, and various European locations, details the bombing event itself, and recounts her subsequent trial, pardon, and eventual assimilation into South Korean society. Within the text, Kim asserts that Kim Jong Il orchestrated the attack and directly commanded its execution. Additionally, Kim Jong Il is widely believed to have planned the Rangoon bombing in 1983, an assassination attempt targeting South Korean president Chun Doo-hwan. Her life story was also adapted into a film titled Mayumi, directed by Shin Sang-ok in 1990.[28]

In 2010, Kim Hyon-hui traveled to Japan and met with relatives of Japanese citizens who were kidnapped by North Korea during the 1970s and 1980s and coerced into instructing North Korean agents on how to impersonate Japanese nationals—individuals reportedly involved in training Kim herself.[29] To facilitate this visit, the Japanese government temporarily suspended immigration restrictions since Kim is considered a criminal in Japan due to her use of a counterfeit Japanese passport during the bombing. The visit drew criticism from Japanese media outlets, and heightened security measures were implemented amid concerns over potential attacks against her.[29] Upon arrival, she was transported via a private jet chartered by the Japanese authorities and shielded from public view under large umbrellas while being driven. During her stay, she lodged at a vacation residence owned by Yukio Hatoyama, former prime Minister of Japan.[29] Currently, Kim lives at an undisclosed location under continuous protection due to fears of retaliation either from victims' families or from North Korea’s regime, which has labeled her a traitor to their cause.Template:Fix/category[citation needed]

In South Korean politics

In 2007, a coalition of families affected by the tragedy voiced their doubts regarding the official account of the incident.[30] The Truth and Reconciliation Commission conducted an inquiry and concluded that the bombing was not orchestrated by the South Korean National Intelligence Service (NIS).[31] In 2016, during a failed filibuster against the anti-terrorism legislation, National Assembly member Kim Kwang-jin expressed suspicions that the NIS was responsible for the bombing.[31]

Ongoing Strain

Main article: North Korea–South Korea relations
File:Korea DMZ sentry.jpg
A South Korean guard post at the Korean Demilitarized Zone in August 2005. The conflict between North and South Korea has remained unresolved since the Korean War armistice was signed in 1953.[32]

Since the armistice agreement in 1953, tensions between North and South Korea have persisted, as no definitive peace treaty has been established to formally conclude hostilities.[32] Nevertheless, in 2000, both nations convened their inaugural Inter-Korean summit, where their leaders endorsed a joint declaration pledging to hold a follow-up summit in 2007. During that year, military and ministerial talks were held across Pyongyang, Seoul, and Jeju Island. On October 2, 2007, South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun crossed the Korean Demilitarized Zone to engage in discussions with Kim Jong Il in Pyongyang.[33] Both leaders reiterated their commitment to the principles outlined in the 2000 joint declaration and addressed multiple topics aimed at advancing inter-Korean relations, establishing peace on the peninsula, fostering shared prosperity among Koreans, and pursuing reunification. On October 4, 2007, Roh Moo-hyun and Kim Jong Il formalized these intentions by signing a peace declaration.[34] This agreement advocated for international negotiations to replace the existing armistice with a lasting peace treaty.[34]

In popular culture

The 1990 film Mayumi centers on the bombing incident and its consequences, primarily portraying the events through the viewpoint of Kim Hyon-Hui.

In 2020, the Korean Air Flight 858 bombing was explored in the documentary What Caused The 1987 Korean Air Flight 858 Explosion? | One Day That Changed Asia, produced by CNA Insider.

See also

Template:External media

North Korea

Similar incidents

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named UN_SPV2791_page11
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 Template:UN document
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  6. ↑ Template:ASN accident
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Template:UN document
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  9. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 Template:UN document
  11. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  13. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  14. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  15. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  16. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  17. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  18. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  19. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  20. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  21. ↑ Template:UN document
  22. ↑ Template:UN document
  23. ↑ Template:UN document
  24. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  26. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  27. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  28. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 29.2 Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  30. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  33. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).

External links

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