Discussion about whether 'Gadeokdo' is a suitable location for the new airport has been ongoing since 20 years ago. Although the atmosphere for the project is being pushed forward as promised by President Lee Jae-myung, concerns from the aviation and construction sectors regarding 'safety and economic' factors remain significant. Attention is also focused on the fundamental limitations of the Gadeokdo Airport and the announcement by Hyundai E&C, the consortium’s leading company, to withdraw. ChosunBiz aims to delve into technical safety issues such as construction methods and uneven sinking, as well as economic viability, ahead of the re-tendering for the 'Gadeokdo Airport site preparation project'.Editor’s note
In April 2002, a China International Airlines (Air China) plane departing from Beijing collided with Dotaesan Mountain while attempting to land at Gimhae Airport. It was a major disaster, with 130 fatalities among the 160 people on board. Gimhae Airport has Dotaesan to the north and Sinheosan, requiring pilots to make a 180-degree turn around the runway for a 'circle approach landing'. The accident occurred while landing was attempted in heavy rain.
The history of the construction of the 'Gadeokdo Airport' began with the 'Dotaesan Aviation Disaster'. As the safety issues of Gimhae Airport gained prominence, calls for a 'Southeast new airport' became reinforced. There were discussions about the need for a new airport that would serve as a gateway to the Southeast region of Korea. In January 2003, former President Roh Moo-hyun mentioned the necessity of a new airport for the Southeast region while still a president-elect. In December 2006, he formally instructed a review.
The construction of the 'Gadeokdo Airport' has involved decisions from six presidents over the past 23 years. As discussions at the regional level in Busan and Gyeongnam expanded into the political arena, the construction of the 'Gadeokdo Airport' became a controversial large-scale national project. At times, decisions made by the president served as the starting point. There were two 'decisive moments' within this context.
The first was in March 2011 when former President Lee Myung-bak completely nullified the construction of the Southeast new airport. Although he made it a campaign promise during his presidential candidacy, he reversed his position after reviewing the economic feasibility results. The Site Evaluation Committee concluded that both proposed sites, Miryang in Gyeongnam and Gadeokdo in Busan, were unsuitable. The evaluation scores for both sites were below 40 out of 100 points. In particular, both were rated below 12 points in the economic category (40 points).
After the government announced the cancellation of the Southeast new airport construction project based on the investigation results, fierce backlash erupted centering around Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam. At that time, as former President Lee was nearing the end of his term, he held a 'special presidential press conference on the cancellation of the Southeast new airport' in April of the same year. He explained the reasons for the cancellation, saying, 'It is possible to construct the airport with finances, but to operate it, first-class airlines must come in. If there is a loss, the region must bear it.'
The situation before former President Lee made this decision was complex. Although objective verification results indicated a lack of economic feasibility and stability, local residents' expectations were high. There were intense conflicts between regions and political circles over 'which is better, Miryang or Gadeokdo'. After the decision, criticisms of it as 'an irresponsible act that betrayed the hopes of local residents' ensued. ChosunBiz was able to hear about the situation at that time through Bahk Jae-wan, former head of national planning at the Blue House, and Kwon Do-yeop, former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.
In a phone call, Bahk Jae-wan noted, 'Former President Lee repeatedly apologized for not being able to fulfill his promise.' He added, 'Considering the enormous construction expenses and demand for use required for building the airport, it was judged that expanding Gimhae Airport was a more reasonable compromise.'
Kwon Do-yeop stated, 'During my time as Vice Minister, we reviewed the location of the Southeast new airport and investigated Miryang and Gadeokdo, but it was expected that costs would be significantly incurred.' He noted that 'the former president, along with the ministers of relevant departments, decided it would be better to add another runway to Gimhae Airport to accommodate the increased cargo volume and to review it later considering the advancement of aviation technology and changes in domestic conditions.'
After former President Park Geun-hye took office in 2013, the momentum leaned toward the 'Gimhae Airport Expansion Plan'. In June 2016, ADPi (Aeroports de Paris Engineering) concluded that the expansion plan for Gimhae Airport was optimal. A month later, the government announced the 'Gimhae Airport Expansion Plan (Gimhae New Airport Plan)'. However, this atmosphere did not last long.
In May 2017, former President Moon Jae-in announced the promotion of construction of a 'Southeast Gateway Airport' as a major campaign promise ahead of the presidential election. In February 2019, he formalized the re-promotion of the 'Southeast New Airport' construction. This marked the second decisive moment in the process of promoting the 'Gadeokdo Airport'.
At that time, local governors and district representatives in the Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam areas actively requested the government to promote the construction of the new airport to host the 2030 Busan Expo. The need for balanced regional development became a significant justification supporting these demands.
Kim Jung-ho, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea and co-director of the Southeast Airport Promotion Planning Team, remarked, 'There have been ongoing criticisms that the basic plan of the Ministry of Land for the Gimhae Airport expansion, which was promoted by the previous government, had many problems.' He added, 'From the perspective of national balanced development, it cannot be accomplished under a one-pole system concentrated in the metropolitan area. It was also necessary to consider the expense of $1 trillion annually for moving passengers and cargo to Incheon International Airport.'
In December 2019, the Prime Minister's Office launched the Gimhae New Airport Verification Committee. The committee pointed out four core issues: concerns about obstacle collisions, noise area expansion, establishment of a west-side parallel runway, and airport extensibility. A year later, the committee concluded that 'the Gimhae New Airport cannot become a 24-hour gateway airport for the Southeast.' Amid this, the 'Gadeokdo Airport plan,' which was promoted by former President Roh, rapidly emerged at the center of attention.
The political arena moved quickly. A month before the verification committee's results were announced, in November 2020, the People Power Party, centering on lawmakers from Busan, and the Democratic Party of Korea proposed a special law for the Gadeokdo Airport at the party level. In February 2021, the special law passed the National Assembly's plenary session, and in April 2022, the State Council decided to exempt the preliminary feasibility study.
However, while the special law for the Gadeokdo Airport was being pushed through rapidly, there were many negative currents within the relevant departments. At that time, a senior official from the Ministry of Land noted, 'Former President Moon expressed a strong will to build the new airport during a visit to Gadeokdo with the ministers of relevant departments and lawmakers.' He added, 'While there were many concerns from the perspective of the responsible departments, it was not possible to halt a project being pushed forward with agreement from both sides. There was also strong pressure from the Busan city regarding the Expo promotion.' Some still argue that the decisions were 'made with an awareness of electoral sentiment' ahead of the April 2021 Busan mayoral by-election.
Former President Yoon Suk-yeol also maintained the previous administration's stance regarding the construction of the 'Gadeokdo Airport'. In March 2023, he announced the early opening in 2029 for the purpose of hosting the 2030 Busan Expo. After failing to secure the Expo, he maintained the same position. In December of the same year, during a visit to the Busan International Market with business leaders, he stated, 'For our country to achieve explosive growth, we must be able to utilize all land closely. Busan must become a hub in the south.' In the same month, the Ministry of Land announced the 'Gadeokdo Airport basic plan'.
Subsequently, in April 2024, the 'Gadeokdo Airport Construction Corporation' was established, and by October of the same year, Hyundai E&C was selected as the preferred negotiation partner for site preparation through a private contract. This process took six months due to four failed tenders. The government's strong will to build the Gadeokdo Airport was evident.
President Lee Jae-myung also stated during his presidential campaign, 'The Democratic Party will take responsibility and expedite the Gadeokdo Airport'. When Hyundai E&C, the consortium's leading company, announced it would withdraw from the project on May 30, he expressed his regret a day later on Facebook, saying, 'I am disappointed.'
Currently, the site preparation work for the Gadeokdo Airport is ahead of the Ministry of Land's re-tendering. The prolonged controversy that has continued for the past 23 years is still ongoing. Experts point out that past presidents and political circles have prioritized political gains over objective verification. Moving forward, all procedures should be carefully pursued based on the results of investigations from expert institutions. Some even argue that based on the already released economic viability and safety survey results, the construction of the Gadeokdo Airport should be thoroughly re-examined.
Professor Hwang Yong-sik of the Business School at Sejong University stated, 'The die has already been cast, but whether completed in 2030 or 2035, it must be done properly.' He cautioned, 'In the future, expenses are expected to rise into the trillions, and this must be accurately estimated and pursued prudently.'
Professor Yoo Seon-jong of the Graduate School of Real Estate at Korea University remarked, 'Wasn’t the Muan Airport disaster a tragedy that occurred at a new airport driven for political reasons?' He emphasized, 'Now, we must thoroughly consider the economic viability, usability, and expected operation rates of the Gadeokdo Airport while excluding local residents' expectations and political imperatives.' He added, 'Considering the project is currently on hold, we should think about whether it can be reversed.'