President Moon: "Speed Needed for Gadeok New Airport... Ministry of Land Must Take Responsible Attitude" (Comprehensive)

President Moon: "New airport essential for national balanced development"... Minister Byeon Chang-heum: "Doing our best to promote Gadeokdo New Airport"

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min] On the 25th, President Moon Jae-in toured the site of the new airport near the waters off Gadeokdo, Busan, and urged the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to take a responsible stance.

President Moon said, "If the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport lacks determination, smooth progress of the project may not be easy. Speed is necessary to complete it before 2030. The Ministry must take a responsible attitude."

President Moon stated, "While the Ministry of Economy and Finance and several other ministries need to cooperate on the Gadeok New Airport, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport must have the 'will to play its role.' The project direction has changed, which may cause difficulties for the Ministry's officials. I fully understand those difficulties."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

President Moon emphasized, "The discussion on Gadeok New Airport started from the tragic Gimhae Airport Dotaesan civil aircraft crash in 2002, which resulted in the deaths of over a hundred people. The fundamental issue in the new airport discussion is safety. Furthermore, there remains a need to expand the project to create a second gateway airport that can be used jointly by local governments in the southeastern region."

President Moon added, "In terms of cargo volume, as ultra-precision projects develop, the importance of air logistics increases. The role of air logistics needs to be enhanced, and if a gateway airport is established in Busan, the terminus of the railway, connecting land, sea, and air, it can become a global logistics hub. To realize Gadeok New Airport early, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport must share this understanding and determination."

Additionally, President Moon explained, "The new airport is also essential to elevate national balanced development to the next level. To achieve national balanced development, a metropolitan area capable of competing with the Seoul metropolitan area must be created. The Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam (Bu-Ul-Gyeong) area is already interconnected in terms of living zones, and connecting the metropolitan transportation network can reduce living zones to within one hour."

President Moon said, "The Southeast Mega City is creating a new standard for national balanced development. It should serve as a model extending to Jeonnam-Gwangju, Daegu-Gyeongbuk, and the Chungcheong region." He added, "Seeing the new airport site today and hearing the Mega City plan makes my heart race. Let's not stop at planning but make sure to realize it."

Meanwhile, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Byun Chang-heum explained, "I apologize that some media outlets have portrayed the Ministry as opposing the Gadeok New Airport. The Ministry's analysis report was prepared to explain the need for a preliminary feasibility study as part of the originally proposed Gadeokdo New Airport Special Act."

Minister Byun said, "Currently, during the review process by the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, the implementation of the preliminary feasibility study has been reflected, resolving disagreements among related agencies. Once the bill passes tomorrow, we will do our best to promote the Gadeokdo New Airport."