Gwangju City Applies to Ministry of Land for Temporary International Flights at Gwangju Airport

Routes Including Ulaanbaatar, Nha Trang, Danang, Yanji, and Zhangjiajie

Aerial view of Gwangju Airport.

On the 15th, Gwangju City submitted an application to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport for the temporary operation of international flights at Gwangju Airport.

The city initially planned to decide whether to submit the application for temporary international flights after reviewing the roadmap for the reopening of Muan Airport, which the Ministry was scheduled to announce in March. However, as the closure of Muan Airport was extended again for three more months until July and the roadmap announcement was delayed, the city submitted the application on this day.

This decision was made to meet the air travel demand of citizens as an alternative airport due to the prolonged closure of Muan Airport, and to address the threat to the survival of the local tourism industry. The application includes the background for this initiative, as well as an overview of flight operations such as routes, schedules, capacity, and aircraft types.

The planned operation period is from the second half of this year until Muan International Airport resumes normal operations. The proposed routes include Gwangju-Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia), Gwangju-Nha Trang (Vietnam), Gwangju-Danang (Vietnam), Gwangju-Yanji (China), and Gwangju-Zhangjiajie (China). Considering domestic flight schedules, Gwangju Airport plans to operate one international departure and one arrival each in the morning and evening.

Once the city submits the preliminary consultation document requesting temporary international flights, the Ministry will conduct consultations regarding quarantine, customs, and immigration (CIQ), and then respond to Gwangju City on whether the airport meets the criteria for temporary international flight operations based on aviation safety and operational suitability.

If the Ministry approves the operation, the city will prepare CIQ (customs, immigration, quarantine) facilities and international flight control lines, and then apply for flight operations to the Ministry together with the airlines. After submitting the application, Gwangju City plans to meet with Ministry officials to explain the details and request cooperation.

Kim Youngsun, Director of the Integrated Airport and Transportation Bureau, said, "We decided to submit this preliminary consultation document to reflect the inconvenience of citizens and the difficulties faced by the local tourism industry," adding, "We will work closely with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to ensure prompt approval and operation."