President Moon: "Urgent Long-Standing Wish 'Gadeokdo New Airport', Legislation Needed As Soon As Possible" (Comprehensive)

Bujeon Station, Visit to Gadeokdo New Airport Candidate Site and Busan New Port... Boosting 'Southeast Mega City' of Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam
President Moon: "Building a Super Metropolitan Area with an Economic Scale of 490 Trillion Won by 2040"

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min] President Moon Jae-in visited Busan on the 25th and stated, "The political circles are pushing for the enactment of the special law for the Gadeokdo New Airport. I hope for prompt legislation so that this long-standing wish can be fulfilled as soon as possible," adding, "The government will also proceed with the related procedures as quickly as possible once the special law is enacted and will not spare necessary support."

President Moon said, "If a new gateway airport is established on Gadeokdo, a 24-hour air route extending to the world and coming from the world will open. The air route, sea route, and land route will meet as one, making it a truly global logistics hub."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the same day, as part of his on-site visit to the Regional Balanced New Deal, a core project of the Korean New Deal, President Moon visited Busan Bujeon Station, the Gadeokdo New Airport candidate site, and Busan New Port to support the 'Southeast Mega City' project. Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam are promoting the establishment of one of Northeast Asia's eight major metropolitan economic zones based on cooperation in airports, railroads, and ports.

President Moon said, "The blue sea in front of Gadeokdo meets the sky far away, dreaming of new challenges together with the 8 million citizens of Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam," adding, "The goal is to establish a super metropolitan area with a population of 10 million and an economic scale of 490 trillion won by 2040."

Accompanying President Moon on this visit were Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Hong Nam-ki, Minister of the Interior and Safety Jeon Hae-cheol, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Byeon Chang-heum, and Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Moon Sung-hyuk. Lee Nak-yeon, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Kim Tae-nyeon, floor leader, also joined. Gyeongnam Governor Kim Kyung-soo reported on the Southeast Economic Community strategy at Busan New Port, and Ulsan Mayor Song Cheol-ho emphasized the importance of the Southeast Living Community.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The highlight of the day was President Moon's visit to the Gadeokdo New Airport candidate site. President Moon boarded a fisheries guidance vessel to receive a briefing on the preparation status of the Gadeokdo New Airport. Acting Mayor of Busan Lee Byung-jin expressed his ambition to develop the Southeast region into a global center for the aviation industry, tourism and MICE, and finance through the promotion of the Gadeok New Airport.

Gyeongnam Governor Kim Kyung-soo explained plans to create an economic community based on the Gadeokdo New Airport at Busan New Port. The plan is to build a Northeast Asia logistics platform based on the tri-port construction of ports, airports, and railroads.

Governor Kim stated, "The Southeast Mega City is about creating another metropolitan area," adding, "With the transition from a single metropolitan area to a multi-polar system, South Korea can develop evenly across regions, preventing local extinction and alleviating overpopulation in the metropolitan area."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Governor Kim emphasized, "The most essential element of the Southeast Economic Community is a smart logistics platform," and said, "High value-added logistics industries must now enter the hinterland cities centered on Busan New Port and Gadeok New Airport."

Earlier, Ulsan Mayor Song Cheol-ho, at the Bujeon Station event, said, "To form the Southeast Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam super metropolitan city, it is necessary to become a living community, economic community, cultural community, and administrative community," adding, "Expanding the metropolitan transportation infrastructure is the most urgent task. The construction of the circular metropolitan railroad must be completed, and metropolitan roads supplemented."

Mayor Song added, "A GTX connecting Ulsan, Busan, Gadeok New Airport, Masan, and Changnyeong, linked with the Gadeokdo New Airport, must be established here."