Jeju to have new airport
By Chung Ah-young
The government said Tuesday that it will build a new airport on the southeastern part of Jeju Island by 2025 to cope with the growing number of passengers.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced the plan for the second airport, having one runway, in Sinsan-ri and Onpyeong-ri of Seogwipo City. The project will cost 4.1 trillion won ($3.54 billion).
“The site has good weather and its airspace doesn’t conflict with that of the current airport,” a ministry official said. “Also, the area has fewer residents so that the noise will affect fewer people.”
Located in the northern part of the island, the current Jeju International Airport has been subject to soaring passenger traffic, particularly from China, along with the growing use of low-cost carriers.
The number of passengers using the airport has risen from 11.35 million in 2005 to 15.72 million in 2010 and 23.2 million last year. The ministry estimated the figure will reach 28.3 million by 2018 and 32.11 million in 2020.
The construction of the new airport will start in 2018 and be completed in 2024, for a scheduled opening in 2025, when passenger traffic to the island is expected to hit 39.39 million.
The second airport is expected to annually accommodate some 25 million visitors.
The ministry had mulled over three options ― expanding the current airport; closing it and building a completely new airport with two runways; and building a second airport at a separate location.
The first option was dropped because it would cost some 9.4 trillion won and cause destruction of the natural environment as it required land to be reclaimed.
The second option faced opposition from residents and could have caused environmental damage as well.
“So we chose the third option because it will be cost-effective and bring less damage to the environment,” he said.
The Jeju Special Self-Governing Province said that it will consider operating the second airport by itself, while the current one is operated by the Korea Airports Corp.
Located near Seongsan Ilchulbong (sunrise peak), which was inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage list and attracts more than 3 million visitors every year, the location is also expected to boost tourism around the area.