Public Outcry Over "Preferential Treatment" for Jang Won-young: Korea Airports Corporation Issues Clarification

The Korea Airports Corporation (KAC) has issued an official statement regarding the controversy over alleged preferential treatment during the departure security screening of IVE member Jang Won-young.

The corporation explained that the purpose of security screening is to verify the identity of a passenger by comparing their face with their passport photo, and that staff members are instructed to verbally request the removal of any items that obscure the face.

The KAC added that no preferential treatment was given because she is a celebrity, and promised to provide clearer guidance on passenger identity verification procedures in the future.

The controversy began after a video of Jang departing through Gimpo International Airport on May 30 was released.

In the video, a security officer requested a facial verification, but Jang complied only by slightly lowering her mask while keeping her hat on.

Following the release of the video, the issue escalated beyond a debate over Jang's attitude to criticism that Gimpo Airport’s lax departure screening procedures may have granted special favors to a specific celebrity.

A citizen who observed the situation even filed an official complaint with the security management department of the Korea Airports Corporation.

The complaint pointed out that while Incheon International Airport explicitly requires passengers to briefly remove masks and hats for identity verification, the standards at Gimpo Airport appear ambiguous.

The complainant also demanded verification of whether the same standards are being applied to both celebrities and non-celebrities.

In fact, the guidelines on the Gimpo Airport website only mention the presentation of identification and flight tickets, with no specific regulations regarding the removal of accessories.

This differs from the guidance at Incheon Airport, which clearly states, "Please briefly remove masks and hats to verify your identity."

What began as a minor controversy over a celebrity's departure behavior has now led to calls for improvements to airport guidance systems and regulations.

Reported by Kim Ji-hye | Video by Jung Yong-hee | Graphics by Lee Jung-ju | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.