Legal Basis Established for Supporting Residents
The government has established an institutional framework to support not only compensation but also resettlement and income-generating projects for local residents who will lose their homes due to the construction of the Gadeokdo New Airport. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on December 9 that it will pre-announce legislation for the revised enforcement decree of the “Special Act on the Construction of Gadeokdo New Airport,” which includes these measures, from December 12, 2025 to January 20, 2026.
This revision is a follow-up measure to the amended Gadeokdo New Airport Act, which was promulgated on December 2. The purpose is to specify detailed procedures and methods for helping residents in the planned airport construction area to resettle and support their livelihoods. This effort aims to minimize opposition from residents that often arises during large-scale national projects and to provide a practical foundation for self-reliance, thereby facilitating smooth project implementation.
Kim Yoonduk, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, is touring the planned construction site of Gadeokdo New Airport in Gangseo-gu, Busan, with Lee Yunsang, Director of Gadeokdo New Airport Construction Corporation, on August 7. Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport
The core of the revision is to establish a basis for arranging employment for residents at the construction site and for entrusting them with ancillary business rights. Heads of relevant local governments or project implementers will be able to recommend the hiring of residents to construction companies participating in the new airport project. They will also be allowed to support job training and job placement services for residents seeking career transitions. The revision also provides grounds for supporting temporary housing for residents during the construction period.
In addition, the revision opens the way for residents to be entrusted with various ancillary businesses arising from the construction process. Tasks such as relocating graves, tree felling, removing obstacles, and restoring abandoned groundwater facilities can now be carried out by corporations or organizations composed of local residents. This measure is intended to prevent development profits from flowing out of the region and to directly return income-generating opportunities to local residents.
Kim Jeonghee, Director of the Gadeokdo New Airport Construction Promotion Team at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, stated, “With this revision of the enforcement decree of the Gadeokdo New Airport Act, we have established a legal basis for actively providing the support needed for the resettlement of residents in the planned new airport area. We expect this to contribute to the smooth resettlement and income generation for residents who are losing their livelihoods.”
The full text of the revision will be available from December 12 on the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s website under “Policy Data → Legal Information → Pre-announcement of Legislation/Administrative Notice.” Opinions on the revision can be submitted by mail (Gadeokdo New Airport Construction Promotion Team, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Government Complex Sejong) or through the website. The revised enforcement decree is scheduled to take full effect on March 3, 2026.
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