By Ju-min Park and Dogyun Kim
MUAN COUNTY, South Korea (Reuters) – Empty desks and a calendar marking the days after Christmas sit in a South Korean office where five co-workers planned a vacation to Thailand that ended in disaster on Sunday when their Jeju Air flight returned.
The five female colleagues, who had traveled to Bangkok to celebrate the promotion, were among the 179 people killed when flight 7C2216 crashed at Muan International Airport in South Korea's deadliest air disaster.
Still reeling from the loss of staff and friends, colleagues wearing black ribbons cried at their desks in the public education office Tuesday, looking at the victim's empty desk.
White chrysanthemums were placed on the desk in mourning, while boxes containing books and stationery awaited another victim who had to move the desks in the New Year.
“It doesn't feel real,” said Lee Dae-keun, an official at the Jeollanamdo Education Office who worked in the same department as one of the victims.
“You're still stuck in my eyes. Whenever I see the flowers on that empty desk, ah, the sadness comes in.”
Reuters is not naming the victims at the request of colleagues who requested privacy.
The dead workers were a group of old work friends who were looking forward to their long-awaited trip, co-workers said.
“As a colleague, he was hardworking and good, a kind friend to others,” Lee said with a sigh. “He always told me to stay happy and positive.”
Lee said he went to the airport with his colleagues to provide food or charge the phones of the families of the bereaved who were resting outside.
In the office, the officers make an altar where their colleagues and neighbors come to console.
Standing at the altar, Lee Kwi-sun, the school's cook, vividly remembered his last moment holding hands with another victim.
“Our names are the same. We were like lost brothers who had just met. We said let's meet again, we held hands and laughed and parted,” he recalled.
“I've talked to him a lot personally and professionally, so this breaks my heart,” he said