As the construction of Ulleung Airport, a major project in Ulleung County, North Gyeongsang Province, has surpassed an overall progress rate of 60%, calls to extend the runway length are intensifying.
The need to extend the Ulleung Airport runway has been consistently raised, but after residents witnessed the passenger plane accident at Muan International Airport late last year, anxiety has grown and they are now urgently calling for countermeasures. Residents have organized a committee and established a formal structure, and have begun staging 'forceful' protests.
According to the Ulleung Airport Promotion Committee and Ulleung County on April 23, Ulleung Airport is being constructed for 3C non-instrument flight operations. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport initially designed the airport to accommodate 50-seat small aircraft. Following the basic plan, the design was changed from 2C non-instrument flight to 2C instrument flight in May 2020 after a detailed design phase. However, in September 2023, it was changed again to 3C non-instrument flight.
According to the classification criteria for land-based airfields, 2C refers to a minimum aircraft takeoff distance of 800m to less than 1200m, while 3C refers to 1200m to less than 1800m. Aircraft with a wingspan of at least 24m but less than 36m can operate. Ulleung Airport is being built with a takeoff distance of 1200m, which is the minimum standard for a 3C airport.
The reason Ulleung Airport's runway length remains at the minimum level is that, while the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport upgraded the airport classification to enhance business viability, it did not increase the runway length.
For comparison, Vietnam's Ca Mau Airport, which is also classified as 3C, has a runway length of 1500m and a width of 30m, and is currently pursuing projects to further expand both dimensions.
According to the 2024 issue of the Journal of Air Transport Operations, in the study "A Study on Improvement Measures According to the Increasing Cancellation Rate Conditions at Ulleung Airport," Ulleung Airport, as a small airport, is considering the operation of Embraer E-190 aircraft and turboprop aircraft such as the ATR-72 and ATR-42. The Embraer E-190's landing performance requires a landing distance of 1215m, so with the current 1200m runway under development at Ulleung Airport, it cannot operate at maximum landing weight, necessitating load adjustments.
Jung Jongseok, secretary-general of the Ulleung Airport Promotion Committee, stated, "The airport is essential for residents, but if safety cannot be fully ensured, it becomes an unnecessary facility," emphasizing, "The government must step in and extend the runway length."
Jung also stressed, "The committee is visiting the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and other relevant agencies to strongly convey the local residents' determination regarding runway extension and expansion of the runway end safety area."
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