Gov't decides Gimhae airport unfit for expansion

Prof. Kim Soo-sam of Hanyang University, head of a verification committee affiliated with the Office for Government Policy Coordination Prime Minister's Secretariat launched in December last year to determine the feasibility of the construction of a new airport in Gimhae, speaks during a press briefing at the Government Complex Seoul, Tuesday. The committee has decided that the Gimhae new airport project needs a fundamental review. Korea Times photo by Lee Han-ho

By Jung Da-min

The government announced Tuesday that it will conduct a fundamental review of its earlier plan to expand Gimhae International Airport, again calling into question its feasibility.

The announcement comes 11 months after the launch of a verification committee affiliated with government policy coordination under the Prime Minister's Office to determine the practicality of constructing a new runway at Gimhae, to expand on the existing one there.

The verification committee, consisting of 21 experts, looked into issues related to four major areas ― safety, noise, the environment, and facility operation and demand ― seeking the opinions of other authoritative organizations including the International Civil Aviation Organization and the Ministry of Government Legislation.

“The draft of the basic plan for the new Gimhae airport needs to be substantially supplemented in the areas of safety, facility operation and demand, environment and noise,” said Prof. Kim Soo-sam of Hanyang University, head of the verification committee, during a press briefing at the Government Complex Seoul, Tuesday.

“In the verification process, matters that had not been sufficiently reviewed during the business confirmation period have been found, such as the need to supplement flight procedures, the need to install a west taxiway at an early stage, the matter of limiting expansion to deal with changes in future demand and expanding the permissible range of noise.”

Kim said the committee also found a procedural flaw in terms of safety issues regarding nearby mountains. According to relevant laws here, the mountains need to be leveled to meet standards for obstacles near an airport. The Ministry of Government Legislation said the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, which had pushed ahead with the new airport plan, needed to discuss the matter with Busan Metropolitan Government as it was planning to leave the mountains intact, but the ministry had failed to do so.

The committee's recommendations virtually scrap the new Gimhae International Airport project, four years after the government decided to develop it into the nation's southeastern air travel hub, despite Busan city's opposition to it. The local administration wants to build a new airport on Gadeok Island instead.

The central government, however, had remained firm on expanding Gimhae airport, but decided to launch the verification committee in December in response to the protests from Busan City.

The political parties differed in their responses.

Some members of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) including Rep. Kim Jung-ho of Gimhae-B district in South Gyeongsang Province, expressed support for Busan's plan to build the new Gadeok International Airport.

The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) floor leader Joo Ho-young, however, criticized the government decision, saying the ruling bloc has changed its stance on the matter just for their political interests. A Busan mayoral by-election is less than five months ahead.

“The administration has taken no action for the past four years. Although our party members are divided over the issue, one thing that is clear is we should point out the matter of consistency in national projects and compliance with procedures,” Joo said during a party meeting. “Former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon and Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kim Hyun-mee have consistently said that there was no problem with the expansion of Gimhae International Airport but their party seems to be trying to push forward a change in its stance in order to benefit in next year's by-election for the Busan mayoral post.”