[2025 Audit] France and Spain Have Also Integrated... "Airport Corporations Should Be Merged into One"

Incheon International Airport Corporation Reports Surplus, Korea Airports Corporation Faces Deficit
Government: "The Two Organizations Have Different Roles... Careful Review Needed"

There has been a call to merge Korea Airports Corporation and Incheon International Airport Corporation, which currently operate separately, in order to enhance convenience for airport users nationwide.

On October 27, Lee Jeonggi, Acting President of Korea Airports Corporation, stated during the National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee's audit held at Incheon International Airport Corporation, "If the two airport corporations are merged, it would significantly improve financial soundness at the corporate level," adding, "I believe a comprehensive review is needed at the government level."

Last year, Incheon International Airport Corporation recorded a surplus of 480.5 billion won, while Korea Airports Corporation posted a deficit of 138.4 billion won. The difference in profitability between the two corporations has been attributed to differences in airport size and route structure.

National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee's audit held on the 27th at the Incheon International Airport Corporation main conference room, Jung-gu, Incheon. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

On this day, members of the National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee also emphasized the need to integrate the two airport corporations. Yoon Jongho, a member of the Progressive Party, said, "Incheon Airport virtually monopolizes long-haul international flights, while regional airports have almost no long-haul routes. Each corporation operates different security and boarding systems, such as facial recognition or palm vein recognition, and separate smart airport applications, causing significant inconvenience for the public."

Hwang Unha, a member of the Rebuilding Korea Party, also stated, "Looking at overseas cases, integration is the prevailing trend." He added, "In France, Paris Airports Corporation operates regional airports in an integrated manner, and Spain's airport authority manages 36 airports under one system. We should also consider enacting a new law, such as the 'Korea Airports Corporation Act,' to integrate the two corporations."

In response, Joo Jongwan, Director General for Aviation Policy at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, "We believe the two organizations have different roles and functions, so it is necessary to carefully consider their unique characteristics," adding, "We will thoroughly review overseas cases and listen to the opinions of various experts."