The debate over whether ‘Gadeokdo’ is a suitable site for the new airport has been ongoing for 20 years. Although the atmosphere is favorable for the project, as promised by President Lee Jae-myung, concerns regarding 'safety and economic viability' within the aviation and construction industries remain significant. Attention is drawn to the inherent limitations of Gadeokdo International Airport and the context behind Hyundai E&C's declaration of non-participation as the lead contractor. ChosunBiz aims to engage in an in-depth discussion on technical safety issues such as construction methods and differential settlement ahead of the re-bid for the 'Gadeokdo International Airport site development project'.<editor's note>
The sky routes of Korea are already saturated. The construction of a new airport should stop. The same goes for Gadeokdo International Airport. An airport located in environmentally and geographically adverse conditions could cause another disaster.
Veteran pilots who have operated aircraft domestically and internationally expressed strong concerns about the construction of Gadeokdo International Airport. They cited reasons such as potential overlapping flight paths and control zones with nearby airports like Gimhae Airport and the Jinhae Naval Airbase, as well as the difficulty of overcoming the site's inherent natural conditions.
Pilots pointed out that the number of airports relative to the land and population of Korea is excessively high. They noted that political and regional interests have overshadowed the considerations of safety and economic viability that should be assessed prior to airport construction. There are currently a total of 15 airports operating domestically, with an additional 10 new airports being reviewed or promoted.
According to a survey jointly conducted by ChosunBiz and the Korean Airlines Pilots Association on the 11th, 10 pilots (9 captains and 1 first officer) employed by commercial airlines expressed negative opinions regarding the construction of Gadeokdo International Airport. They are veteran pilots with experience ranging from 8 to 37 years. Some have combat flight experience, and their airlines vary, including Korean Air (2), Asiana Airlines (2), Jeju Air (2), Jin Air, Air Busan, and Air Incheon.
The 10 veteran pilots mentioned 'safety' as the primary concern regarding the expected problems after the completion of Gadeokdo International Airport. Specifically, they pointed out ▲ the overlapping control areas with nearby airports (Gimhae Airport, Sacheon Airport, Jinhae Naval Airbase, etc.) ▲ environmental factors such as wind and fog ▲ and bird strikes.
If control areas overlap, the worst-case scenario could be an 'in-air collision' between aircraft. Control areas refer to the sections of airspace that each airport's control center manages to ensure safe operation for aircraft. However, if two or more control areas overlap, confusion will arise as to which airport is responsible for that region. Several airports, including Gimhae Airport, Sacheon Airport, and Jinhae Naval Airbase, are densely located near the Gadeokdo International Airport site.
Captain Jang, who has 28 years of experience (49 years old), stated, “The site of Gadeokdo International Airport is adjacent to multiple airports, which will increase air traffic during control and is expected to overlap with military airspace,” adding, “It seems economically unfeasible and could create issues due to overlapping control, posing safety risks.”
Captain Shin, who has 26 years of experience (54 years old), said, “The flight paths of aircraft approaching Gimhae Airport from the north overlap with those of aircraft landing west of Gadeokdo,” and added, “As long as Gimhae Airport exists, special care will be required to separate the flight trajectories of the two airports.”
The environmental factors associated with the location of Gadeokdo could also threaten safety. Unlike airports that are usually located in inland waters, Gadeokdo is in open sea, directly exposed to winds and fog. It is also exposed to weather variables such as typhoons, gusts, and monsoons during the summer.
Captain Kim, who has 30 years of experience (53 years old), stated, “The area near Gadeokdo has a high frequency of fog formation, and due to monsoons and typhoons, it is likely to frequently exceed the limits for safe approach,” adding, “The north side of the runway is mountainous, and the south side is a heavily trafficked maritime route, with high bridges and port structures planned in the east-west direction, making aircraft takeoffs and landings difficult.”
First Officer Lim, who has 8 years of experience (37 years old), said, “Gadeokdo cannot avoid fog, and the terrain north of the runway could cause localized gusts,” advising, “Thorough examination and research of the surrounding environment is essential when constructing the airport.”
Pilots also expressed significant concerns about bird strikes. It was noted that bird strikes were identified as one of the causes of the Muan Airport disaster at the end of last year. The site of Gadeokdo International Airport is located about 7 km from the Nakdong River estuary, a major migratory bird habitat in Korea. Furthermore, marine birds are not only larger and heavier than land birds but also fly at higher altitudes, making them a threat to flight safety. According to the Ministry of Environment, the anticipated number of 'annual damaging bird strike incidents (TPDS)' at Gadeokdo International Airport is estimated to be between 4.48 and 14.7, much higher than the 0.06 strikes reported at Muan Airport.
Captain Yang, who has 32 years of experience (53 years old), stated, “Gadeokdo International Airport is likely to be exposed to activities from relatively large marine birds,” adding, “The inherent natural environment of the site is unlikely to improve in the future, so it should be prioritized for review when selecting the site.”
There was a negative consensus about the economic viability, which can determine the success or failure of the airport. Most developed aviation countries have vast land areas, resulting in domestic flights representing more than 50% of air transport. In the case of the United States, domestic flights account for approximately 80% of the total. Countries like Indonesia and Malaysia, composed of islands, also have a high proportion of domestic flights. In contrast, domestic flights in Korea account for only about 10% of air transport. Excluding Jeju Island and some island regions, most areas can be reached by car within 5 to 6 hours. Additionally, KTX trains connect various regional cities, making travel possible within 3 hours. This situation also explains why 10 of the 15 domestic airports, besides Incheon International Airport, Gimpo Airport, Gimhae, Jeju, and Daegu Airports, are suffering chronic deficits.
Captain Kim, who has 37 years of experience, noted that “the reason there are no U.S. and European routes from the existing Gimhae Airport is that airlines do not make sufficient profits from long-haul flights,” adding, “Even though the population of Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam reaches 8 million, there are no long-haul international routes. One should consider that Los Angeles and San Francisco do not have significant cities that can be reached within 3 hours by train or car.”
Travel from Busan to Incheon International Airport is possible in 3 hours and 30 minutes by KTX, indicating that airlines are unlikely to operate overlapping long-haul routes such as U.S. and European routes even if Gadeokdo International Airport is completed.
Pilots viewed the expansion plan for Gimhae Airport as a realistic alternative. Many pilots referred to the preliminary feasibility study conducted by the Paris Airports Engineering company (ADPi) in 2016. At that time, ADPi proposed building an additional 4,000-meter runway to the west of Gimhae Airport. This would allow for long-haul flights to the U.S. and Europe by adding a long runway while avoiding the northern Dotaesan Mountain, which is considered the airport's greatest obstacle. Despite the Air China Dotaesan collision accident in 2002, they noted that with the advancements in navigation systems and onboard equipment over the past 20 years, precise approaches are now possible.
Captain Park, who has 26 years of experience (48 years old), stated, “Gimhae Airport, with the northern Dotaesan and Sinheosan mountains, has been conducting landing approaches with a 180-degree turn around the runway, but now, with the enhanced navigation precision of RNP (AR) landings up to 185 meters and the soon-to-be-commercialized Korean Satellite Navigation System (KASS), it will be possible to conduct accurate curved landings even in unclear visibility.” This is a method used at Kathmandu Airport, surrounded by the Himalayas.
Veteran pilots stated that Korea no longer needs a new airport. Besides the 15 existing airports, plans to build 10 additional airports are being reviewed and promoted. This includes Gadeokdo International Airport, the second airport in Jeju, the Saemangeum International Airport, the Daegu-Gyeongbuk (TK) International Airport, and new airports on Ulleungdo, Baengnyeongdo, and Heuksando, as well as new airports in southern Gyeonggi, Seosan Airport, and the relocation of Gwangju military airport. They emphasized that the construction of airports for political or regional interests should not happen anymore. Considering the small land area, new airports lack economic viability and could lead to safety issues due to overlapping control areas.
Captain Shin, who has 25 years of experience (47 years old), stated, “Currently, air routes and military airports across the Korean Peninsula have reached saturation,” adding, “If an airport is still necessary, safety must be prioritized over political considerations.”