[Asia Economy Reporter Park Cheol-eung] Kim Young-chun, former Minister of Oceans and Fisheries and a preliminary candidate for the Busan mayoral election from the Democratic Party of Korea, pledged a semi-high-speed train linked to the new Gadeokdo Airport. He also proposed attracting global logistics companies such as Amazon and constructing a new city near Gadeokdo.
On the 20th, Kim announced his pledge at the Busan City Council briefing room, stating, "We will establish a ‘semi-high-speed rail network’ that allows travel to Gadeok New Airport in 29 minutes from the East Busan area and 19 minutes from Bujeon Station, and integrally build the Gadeok New Airport access transportation network and the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam (Bu-Ul-Gyeong) metropolitan transportation network to strengthen connectivity in the southern region of the country." He aims to ensure the passage of the special law for Gadeokdo New Airport at the next month’s extraordinary National Assembly session and to prepare a metropolitan transportation infrastructure for hosting the 2030 World Expo.
He also announced a pledge for revitalizing new industries based on the Gadeokdo New Airport. The plan is to attract global logistics companies such as Amazon, Alibaba, DHL, and FedEx to the western Busan area, turning Busan into a global e-commerce hub and establishing it as a Tri-port linking air, rail, and port transportation.
Kim further stated, "We will build an Airport City near Gadeokdo, developing it into a smart city connected with advanced industries, making it a forward base for international trade, and attract the integrated low-cost carrier (LCC) company of Air Busan, Jin Air, and Air Seoul to Busan." This reflects his vision to make Busan the center city of the aviation industry.
He added, "We will mandate reinvestment in the Busan area by companies contracted for the construction of Gadeok New Airport, investment and financing institutions, and operating companies, and require participation of local construction companies, employment of Busan citizens, and procurement within Busan." He also said, "A portion of the profits from the construction and operation of Gadeok New Airport will be set aside as a ‘Livelihood Support Fund’ to be returned to small and medium-sized merchants and socially vulnerable groups."
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