Gyeongbuk Province Hosts Event to Wish Success for Daegu-Gyeongbuk New Airport and Ulleung Airport
Daegu-Gyeongbuk New Airport Targeted to Open in 2028, Ulleung Airport in 2025
[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Kim Yong-woo] “Flying over Dokdo on Liberation Day!”
Mr. Eom, who was on a small 50-seat airplane, could not hide his excitement as he flew over Dokdo with his close older sister. He also said, “Thank you to the independence fighters.”
On Liberation Day, a non-landing flight event took place, departing from Daegu, flying over Ulleungdo, and circling Dokdo.
This event was organized by Gyeongsangbuk-do to commemorate the 1st anniversary of the selection of the Daegu-Gyeongbuk New Airport site on the 76th Liberation Day and to promote Ulleung Airport, which is under construction with the goal of opening in 2025.
The event was a “Daegu~Ulleungdo (Dokdo) non-landing flight” departing from Daegu Airport and flying over the East Coast, Ulleungdo, and Dokdo.
The event was held twice, at 8:15 AM and 2:45 PM, using a 50-seat passenger plane from ‘Hi Air,’ the only domestic small airline in Korea.
Passengers were selected from about 90 people, including the general public who applied by drawing Ulleungdo and Dokdo on their personal SNS, as well as members of the Liberation Association and Dokdo-related organizations.
Selected passengers were given the opportunity to experience meeting Ulleungdo (Dokdo) within an hour from Daegu Airport.
Additionally, unique souvenirs such as honorary Dokdo resident certificates and Dokdo air cans containing air from Dokdo were given as bonuses.
To further enhance the meaning of Liberation Day on its 76th anniversary, an educational session was also prepared to inform about the history and nature of Dokdo through the Dokdo History Classroom (Dokdo Kit) materials, a historical content produced by the Independence Hall of Korea.
Mr. Kim, who participated in the flight event, said, “I am very happy to participate in the non-landing flight event where I could see Ulleungdo and Dokdo from the sky,” adding, “It was a great opportunity to teach the true meaning of Liberation Day to my children who are about to enter school while flying over the easternmost part of our country, Ulleungdo and Dokdo.”
Lee Dong-il, head of the Gyeongbuk branch of the Liberation Association, said, “I am deeply moved to be able to visit Ulleungdo and Dokdo, places I have always wanted to go to, through the sky route on Liberation Day. It is very gratifying that Ulleungdo, the lonely island of the East Sea, can be reached in just one hour, and it makes me feel even more precious about Dokdo.”
Choi Hyuk-jun, head of the Integrated New Airport Promotion Team of Gyeongsangbuk-do, who organized the event, said, “It is the first time to fly over Ulleungdo and Dokdo from Daegu Airport, and it became a more meaningful event as it took place on Liberation Day,” adding, “We will do our best to ensure the successful construction of Daegu-Gyeongbuk New Airport and Ulleung Airport.”
Since selecting the relocation site on August 28, 2020, Daegu-Gyeongbuk New Airport has been progressing with Daegu City’s basic plan establishment project, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s feasibility study for a civilian airport, and Gyeongbuk Province’s airport new town and transportation network planning project, aiming to open in 2028.
Ulleung Airport, with a national budget investment of 660 billion KRW, began construction in November 2020 and is aiming to open in 2025. Once Ulleung Airport opens, Ulleungdo will become within a one-hour living zone from the mainland, and it is expected to have significant economic effects such as tourism.
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