Statement Issued...
"Serious Crisis for Local Travel and Airline Industries"
The Gwangju business community has called for the temporary opening of international flights at Gwangju Airport to help the local travel industry, which is facing bankruptcy due to the closure of Muan International Airport.
On the 11th, the Gwangju Chamber of Commerce and Industry issued a statement saying, "Since the end of last year, Muan International Airport has seen a significant increase in passengers as regular and new international routes have begun operating in earnest," adding, "In particular, residents of the Honam region have benefited from reduced economic and time costs by using a nearby regional airport, which has contributed to improved travel convenience."
They continued, "However, due to the unfortunate Jeju Air accident last year, Muan International Airport is scheduled to be closed until October, putting the travel and airline industries in Gwangju and Jeonnam in a serious crisis," and emphasized, "Despite the peak travel season, including the winter vacation, the closure of Muan International Airport has led to the cancellation of about 20,000 trips and a loss of 30 billion KRW in sales from 560 companies in a short period. With the extension of the closure period, there are growing concerns about threats to the livelihoods of related workers and the potential collapse of the entire local travel industry."
They also said, "Moreover, this year is the Year of Visiting Gwangju, and several international events such as the World Archery Championships and the World Human Rights Cities Forum will be held in Gwangju, with numerous foreign tourists and delegations expected to visit Gwangju and Jeonnam," explaining, "In this situation, the 'temporary operation of international flights at Gwangju Airport' would be an effective alternative."
Additionally, they stated, "Before international flights were relocated to Muan International Airport in 2008, Gwangju Airport had experience operating regular flights to Japan, Southeast Asia, and China," adding, "With a runway length of 2,835 meters, the airport is equipped with the necessary infrastructure for international operations."
The Gwangju Chamber of Commerce and Industry stressed, "The government and Gwangju City should provide policy support and attention to minimize inconvenience for local residents and help revitalize the local economy by temporarily operating international flights at Gwangju Airport," and "once the operation of Muan International Airport is normalized, we hope that the integrated relocation of Gwangju's civilian and military airports will be promoted as soon as possible for the development of Gwangju and Jeonnam."
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