Kang Ki-jung: "Government and Democratic Party Should Take the Lead on Civil-Military Airports"

Resumption of the Pan-Government Consultative Body and Request for Formation of the Democratic Party Special Committee

Gwangju Mayor Kang Ki-jung held a tea meeting with attending reporters in the press room on the 5th floor of the city hall on the afternoon of the 24th, explaining major city administration issues.
[Photo by Gwangju City]

On the 24th, Kang Gi-jeong, Mayor of Gwangju City, once again urged the government and the Democratic Party to actively step up to resolve the issue of relocating the integrated civil-military airport to Muan.

Mayor Kang met with reporters at City Hall that morning and said, “The city has cooperated with the government to enact the Special Act on Military Airports, creating a basis for government support beyond the donation-for-transfer method. Together with Jeonnam Province, we have agreed on the integrated relocation to Muan and achieved results such as direct communication with about 30,000 Muan residents. However, the decision on the relocation candidate site has yet to progress.”

He continued, “The efforts of the ‘inside parties’?Gwangju, Jeonnam, and Muan?are not enough. Efforts from the ‘outside parties,’ namely the government and the Democratic Party, are necessary,” emphasizing, “For the success of the integrated civil-military airport relocation project, the central government and the Democratic Party must work together in harmony.”

Mayor Kang repeatedly requested the central government to resume the operation of the ‘inter-governmental consultative body’ and the Democratic Party to form a ‘special committee.’ He said, “The central government should resume the operation of the ‘inter-governmental consultative body’ to complete the vision for the development of the southwestern region through the integrated civil-military airport relocation to Muan, building on past government achievements such as the construction of Muan International Airport, the opening of the Gwangju-Muan Expressway, and the KTX route via Muan Airport.” He also mentioned, “Since the three local government heads all belong to the Democratic Party, I earnestly request the formation of a ‘special committee’ to untie the knots that the parties involved find difficult to resolve.”

Before making these requests, Mayor Kang expressed an official apology, saying, “It is very regrettable that remarks such as ‘Hamheung messenger’ and ‘lack of conscience’ have disparaged the efforts of Jeonnam Province and hurt the feelings of Muan residents.”

Meanwhile, Gwangju City is making every effort to secure all-round cooperation from the central government and the National Assembly, as well as conducting close and friendly promotions targeting Muan residents who are actively involved in the integrated civil-military airport relocation.