[News Today] TRAUMA LEFT BY JEJU AIR CRASH

[LEAD]
Two months have passed since the Jeju Air tragedy. The crash site is slowly returning to its original state. Yet, nearby residents and merchants continue to struggle daily with the shock of that day.

[REPORT]
179 people were killed in the December Jeju Air plane crash.

The airport is returning to its orginal state, with the terrible scene of the crash site cleaned up.

The destroyed plane and its debris have been removed and the collapsed localizer has been repaired.

However, local residents and merchants' voice that the damage continues to linger.

Kim Kwang-sik/ Inn owner
The smoke went from here to Cheonggye-myeon. I can't sleep well even now.

The fact that 88 percent of the victims were locals from Gwangju and Jeollanam-do Province caused greater trauma for them.

In a KBS survey of 1,600 people living in Gwangju and the province, 28 percent of respondents said that they had suffered from anxiety, depression and insomnia following the crash.

Muan Airport was closed shortly after the deadly accident, dealing a direct blow to restaurants, accommodation facilities and the tourism industry in the region.

Kim Kyung-oh/ Restaurant owner
There were a lot of customers. But now, we rarely have any. Sometimes, it's empty.

This is why there are calls for continuous attention and assistance, rather than one-time measures.

Kang Eun-woo/ Muan merchants' association
Sales plunged to a tenth of last year's. But the government just stopped short
of designating the disaster area.

Coupled with the shock from the tragedy and financial difficulties, the local residents are in despair over the continuing suffering.