Seoul's plan to vitalize Gimpo airport brings controversy

Gimpo International Airport / Courtesy of Korea Airports Corp.

By Kim Hyun-bin

Controversy is rising over Seoul City's plan to better utilize Gimpo International Airport by increasing the number of flights to overseas destinations.

While the Seoul Metropolitan Government says it will provide air travelers with easier access to the capital, residential districts near the airport oppose the scheme mainly over noise issues. The central government is also not welcoming the move, because it would undermine the status of Incheon International Airport which the government hopes to make into an air transport hub for Northeast Asia.

Gimpo used to be the main gateway to the capital area before Incheon began operation in 2001. Its operations have since been limited to domestic flights, but the government later allowed operations to nearby international cities within 2,000 kilometers, so flights now operate to Tokyo, Osaka, Beijing, Shanghai and Taipei.

In January, the Seoul Metropolitan Council established an ordinance to allow the city government's financial support for airlines opening new international routes at Gimpo. Following the ordinance, the city government is conducting a study on “Developing and managing Gimpo airport as a foothold for new global growth.”

“The study is aimed at resettling Gimpo's status as the main gateway to Seoul and vitalizing nearby regions by utilizing unused spaces within the airport compound,” a city official said.

And it has been widely expected international flights operating there will be expanded to reach the goal, and the city government is likely to request the central government to remove the 2,000-kilometer restriction.

Seoul City is apparently benchmarking Haneda Airport, commonly known as Tokyo International Airport, which went through a similar situation as Gimpo. After the establishment of Narita International Airport on the outskirts of Tokyo in 1978, the Japanese government prevented long-haul route operations at Haneda. In 2000, the restrictions were eased and currently most Tokyo residents favor Haneda over Narita due to its accessibility and convenience.

Over 142,000 flights operate at Gimpo a year, but they use only 61.2 percent of the airport's capacity as of 2018, so the airport is capable of dealing with more flights and passenger traffic, according to data from the Korea Airports Corp. (KAC).

But such a scheme faced opposition from districts near Gimpo which even now suffer noise pollution from aircraft takeoffs and landings.

Two districts in Seoul ― Yangcheon-gu and Guro-gu ― as well as adjacent Bucheon City sent an official letter to Seoul City and the transport ministry expressing their opposition to the plan.

“More international flights will increase aircraft noise, infringing on the right to health of some 38,500 households here,” Guro-gu said in its letter.

Earlier this year, Yangcheon-gu residents set up a noise pollution countermeasure committee and urged the government to relocate all domestic flight operations to Incheon.

Those in favor of the city's plan claim the two districts represent only a small portion of the capital's population.

“Out of the 25 districts in Seoul, all were in favor of invigorating Gimpo airport except Guro-gu and Yangcheon-gu,” an official from the aviation industry said on condition of anonymity. “The airport is in the capital so it will be more convenient for Seoul residents to travel by air.”

But if the restrictions are relieved and more international operations are allowed at Gimpo, it will inevitably increase competition with Incheon airport to attract more long-haul travelers.

Incheon has racked up numerous prestigious international awards for its state-of-the-art facilities and services. But Gimpo's easy accessibility to major parts of the capital is an appealing point.

The central government, which has made efforts to develop Incheon as a hub in Northeast Asia, is negative of Seoul City's plan.

“Seoul City has not consulted with us about the matter. The transport ministry grants permission for international flights, and if the noise issue is not resolved, it will be difficult for us to grant new international routes to Gimpo airport,” said Hwang Sung-pil, deputy director of the ministry's aviation policy bureau.

“Rather, we are planning to increase flight slots at Incheon airport to adapt to rising demand for air travel.”