Southeastern Region Renews Call for Airport Construction
By Do Je-hae
Staff Reporter
Leaders of the southeastern "Dongnam" region that includes Busan, Ulsan, Daegu and Gyeongsang Province have renewed their call to construct a new international airport in the area.
Busan, Korea's largest port city, has been in contention with Miryang, a small town in South Gyeongsang Province, for a bid to house an 8-trillion-won project to construct a new international gateway to the area, an industrial stronghold of the nation.
Regional politicians have expressed regret over the repeatedly delayed announcement of the venue from the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs.
The decision was initially due in December but the ministry is said to be withholding the announcement until after the June local elections. It is uncertain whether the groundbreaking for the airport will take place in 2012 as initially scheduled, according to local authorities.
In addition, the Dongnam region has been concerned that the ongoing political clash over Sejong City in Chungcheong Province will overshadow the airport plan.
During a recent meeting of Cheong Wae Dae, southeastern mayors and governors urged President Lee Myung-bak to pay attention to the airport plan.
"We would like to request an early establishment of the Dongnam International Airport," North Gyeongsang Governor Kim Gwan-yong told President Lee.
"It seems that the government will re-direct basic science facilities to Sejong City. However, we believe that industrial science should continue to be nurtured in places that already house the relevant facilities," he added, referring to Gyeongsang Province.
The airport project is a priority for five local governments in the southeastern region. The area is home to around 13 million people.
Ahead of the June local elections, tension has been mounting between Busan, which is seeking to house the airport on the adjacent island of Gadeok, and four other local governments that have been supporting Miryang's bid.
"Gadeok Island is the best place for a new international airport for taking the lead in the low-budget carrier market in Northeast Asia and for the economic growth of Dongnam Region," Busan Mayor Hur Nam-sik said. "The venue question can be resolved by a clear roadmap from the central government."
The project is expected to top the list of campaign pledges for future mayors and governors in the region. Failure to secure the bid would mean a major political failure.
Daegu City has been staging a signature collection campaign, while the relevant local governments issued joint statements for the project.
The Southeastern Dongam region is currently home to four airports - Gimhae, Daegu, Pohang and Ulsan - but doesn't have a sizable international airport. The Gimhae International airport serves the Busan area, but its remote location has been cited as a major problem for travelers.
The early establishment of the Dongnam airport is gaining more ground, particularly in light of the "5+2 Economic Regions," a signature project of the Lee administration for balanced national development.
The Dongnam region is one of the seven pillars of the inter-regional economic zones project, composed of the capital region (Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province), the Honam region (Gwangju and North and South Jeolla Provinces) and others. The Dongnam region has been a traditional stronghold of electric power, iron and steel, gas and oil industries. As a combined economic region, the area will focus on transportation machinery and electronic parts and equipment.
Additionally, the area will host large-scale global events in the near future, such as the 2011 IAAF World Championships Daegu, creating more demand for international flight connections.
The ministry is concerned that a new airport may give cause for other local governments to become more active about their demands for a new airport.
The government has maintained a conservative position on expanding the nation's airport infrastructures as other local airports are running at a deficit.
The latest report by the Korea Airport Corporation showed that 11 out of 14 airports nationwide suffered losses ranging from 400 million to 10 billion won.
However, Jeju Mayor Kim Tae-hwan has been calling for a new international airport to replace the current one, which he claims to be undersized for the southern resort island's status as a major tourist destination in Northeast Asia.