By Chung Ah-young
The heads of the nation's two airport systems have tendered their resignations at the same time so they can run in the general elections in April next year.
This is the first time the top posts of the two airport operators have been vacant at the same time.
Such resignations have drawn fire for creating frequent leadership vacuums, as politicians ― not experts in airport operations ― are appointed to such posts and leave the positions ahead of elections.
Park Wan-su served as CEO of the Incheon International Airport Corp. (IIAC) for 14 months. Park will run on the ruling Saenuri Party's ticket in a Changwon-Uichang constituency in South Gyeongsang Province.
Kim Seok-ki worked as CEO of the Korea Airports Corp. (KAC), which operates 14 airports nationwide except for Incheon, for 26 months. He will run in a Gyeongju constituency in North Gyeongsang Province, also for the ruling party.
The two are known to be close to President Park Geun-hye.
Meanwhile, vice presidents of the corporations will serve as acting presidents.
Park's predecessor, Jung Chang-soo, also vacated his post to run for Gangwon Province governor in March 2014. Jung had only served for nine months. After he resigned, the post remained unfilled for more than seven months. Jung, who lost the election, was appointed as CEO of the Korea Tourism Organization this year.
The top posts for state-run companies have often been used as revolving doors for senior government officials or politicians from the ruling party.
In most cases, they lack relevant expertise and management experience.
Critics have pointed out that such frequent vacancies will weaken competitiveness of the state-run companies.
"Many airports such as Gimpo, Jeju and Gimhae currently face capacity problems," an industry insider said. "But the corporations are being used as stepping stones for politicians' political ambitions."
Before serving as IIAC CEO, Park was mayor of Changwon from 2004 to 2014. In April 2014, he ran in the ruling party's primary as a candidate for governor of the South Gyeongsang Province but was defeated by Hong Joon-pyo.
Kim, a former high-ranking police officer, was inaugurated in 2013 after resigning from his consul-general post in Osaka, Japan, in 2012 to run in the election in Gyeongju.
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| Park Wan-su |
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| Kim Seok-ki |
This is the first time the top posts of the two airport operators have been vacant at the same time.
Such resignations have drawn fire for creating frequent leadership vacuums, as politicians ― not experts in airport operations ― are appointed to such posts and leave the positions ahead of elections.
Park Wan-su served as CEO of the Incheon International Airport Corp. (IIAC) for 14 months. Park will run on the ruling Saenuri Party's ticket in a Changwon-Uichang constituency in South Gyeongsang Province.
Kim Seok-ki worked as CEO of the Korea Airports Corp. (KAC), which operates 14 airports nationwide except for Incheon, for 26 months. He will run in a Gyeongju constituency in North Gyeongsang Province, also for the ruling party.
The two are known to be close to President Park Geun-hye.
Meanwhile, vice presidents of the corporations will serve as acting presidents.
Park's predecessor, Jung Chang-soo, also vacated his post to run for Gangwon Province governor in March 2014. Jung had only served for nine months. After he resigned, the post remained unfilled for more than seven months. Jung, who lost the election, was appointed as CEO of the Korea Tourism Organization this year.
The top posts for state-run companies have often been used as revolving doors for senior government officials or politicians from the ruling party.
In most cases, they lack relevant expertise and management experience.
Critics have pointed out that such frequent vacancies will weaken competitiveness of the state-run companies.
"Many airports such as Gimpo, Jeju and Gimhae currently face capacity problems," an industry insider said. "But the corporations are being used as stepping stones for politicians' political ambitions."
Before serving as IIAC CEO, Park was mayor of Changwon from 2004 to 2014. In April 2014, he ran in the ruling party's primary as a candidate for governor of the South Gyeongsang Province but was defeated by Hong Joon-pyo.
Kim, a former high-ranking police officer, was inaugurated in 2013 after resigning from his consul-general post in Osaka, Japan, in 2012 to run in the election in Gyeongju.
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