Passed Ministry of Environment National Park Committee Review After 8 Years
[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Seo Young-seo] Shinan-gun, Jeollanam-do, can now proceed with the construction of Heuksan Airport as the ‘3rd Feasibility Study Proposal for National Park Area Adjustment’ to lift the national park designation on the planned site of Heuksan Airport, which was the biggest obstacle to the airport’s construction, has passed the review by the Ministry of Environment’s National Park Committee. This makes it possible to open the airport in 2026.
According to the county, the Ministry of Environment’s National Park Committee held its 136th meeting on the 31st and approved the ‘National Park Plan Change’ including the lifting of the national park designation on the planned site of Heuksan Airport.
Heuksan Airport was originally scheduled to open in 2020, but since 2016, the ‘Dadohaehaesang National Park Plan Change Review’ faced repeated delays due to disagreements among committee members over environmental, economic, and safety issues, causing continuous difficulties. In contrast, Ulleung Airport began construction smoothly in November 2020 and is progressing well.
Meanwhile, Shinan-gun has made every effort to start construction of Heuksan Airport by utilizing the Ministry of Environment’s national park feasibility study system to propose a ‘National Park Plan Change’ to the Ministry of Environment, which involves lifting the national park designation on the planned site of Heuksan Airport and incorporating areas with high conservation value.
However, concerns grew that the opening schedule in 2026 might be delayed due to prolonged review caused by difficulties in inter-agency consultations at the Ministry of Environment. But after being submitted as an agenda item and passing the National Park Committee’s review, administrative procedures that had been halted since 2017 can now proceed swiftly, making construction possible in the second half of the year.
In particular, Park Woo-ryang, the mayor of Shinan-gun, is reported to have put great effort into persuading all members of the National Park Committee individually about the necessity of the Heuksan Airport construction project from the perspective of national balanced development.
Mayor Park Woo-ryang said, “With the approval of the National Park Committee’s review, the long-cherished project of building Heuksan Airport in Shinan-gun can proceed without any setbacks,” adding, “We will do our best aiming for the airport’s opening in 2026.”
He also added, “We will work closely with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to ensure thorough progress of the project.”
Heuksan Airport is a long-awaited project of Shinan-gun, planned to be built on a 683,338㎡ site at San 4, Yeri, Heuksan-myeon, with a project cost of 183.3 billion KRW. The plan includes constructing a 1.2 km runway, apron, terminal, and other auxiliary facilities to operate 50-seat aircraft.
Once Heuksan Airport opens, travel time from Seoul to Heuksando Island will be reduced from about 7 hours by sea to about 1 hour, improving mobility for island residents and tourists who are transportation vulnerable. It is also expected to greatly contribute to regional tourism industry revitalization and counteracting population decline, with an annual production inducement effect of 153.5 billion KRW, a value-added inducement of 64.5 billion KRW, and employment effects for 1,189 people.
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