On the 21st, the international journal "Science" published an article titled "Airport plans threaten Korea's tidal flats." Domestic civic groups such as the Saemangeum Citizens Ecology Investigation Team and the Saemangeum New Airport Cancellation Joint Action criticized in the Science contribution that "the construction of Saemangeum New Airport will destroy the local ecosystem, including the last remaining Surah tidal flat."
The government is pushing for the construction of the Saemangeum New Airport to revitalize the local economy. Construction work is set to take place from this year until 2029. However, civic groups noted, "The project is proceeding without a preliminary feasibility study, and there is insufficient evidence to prove that the anticipated benefits of the airport construction outweigh the environmental risks." They particularly pointed out that with Gunsan Airport, located just 1.3 km from the planned site of the Saemangeum Airport, recording low usage rates, there is a question about the necessity of building an additional airport.
The Surah tidal flat is one of the few natural ecosystems that survived the Saemangeum reclamation project. Currently, it is home to 59 species legally protected in the country and 27 species globally threatened. In the past, this area was a major stopover for migratory birds along the East Asia-Australasia Flyway (EAAF), with over 330,000 sandpipers and waterfowl passing through each year. However, due to large-scale reclamation projects, the habitat has been destroyed, leading to a rapid decrease in local biodiversity.
Concerns have also been raised about the risk of bird strikes, similar to the recent accident at Muan Airport, if the Saemangeum New Airport is constructed. According to a 2022 environmental impact assessment report, as migratory birds such as sandpipers and waterfowl use the Surah tidal flat as a stopover, the likelihood of bird strikes will increase significantly if the airport is built. The joint action group claimed, "The bird strike risk assessment in the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's strategic environmental impact assessment found that the risk level of Saemangeum Airport is the highest among all airports in the country and is 610 times higher than that of Muan Airport."
Civic groups stated that the construction of the Saemangeum Airport runs counter to UNESCO World Heritage and biodiversity conservation goals. Since the Surah tidal flat is located just 7 km from the tidal flat area designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2021, the impact of the airport construction could extend to the World Heritage site. They also pointed out that the project is progressing in a direction contrary to the Biodiversity Convention, signed by Korea in 2022, and international criticism is expected.
Civic groups stated, "The government must immediately suspend the airport construction and conduct a thorough and independent environmental impact assessment," and that "UNESCO and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) should also closely investigate the impact of the airport on the World Heritage area and ecosystem." They added, "Alternatives for bird protection and ecosystem conservation should be established, and a process comparing and analyzing economic effects and environmental impacts must precede this."
References
Science (2025), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adv5597