Muan County Social Groups Urge End to Muan Airport Closure

Demand for a Roadmap for Reopening

Muan International Airport was closed and extended seven times, prompting local social organizations to express their regrets and urge the normalization of the airport through a statement. Provided by Muan County

There is growing backlash from the local community over the prolonged closure of Muan International Airport in South Jeolla Province.

The Muan International Airport Revitalization Promotion Committee and local social organizations in Muan County held a press conference at 11 a.m. on December 16 at the Sangsang Creative Center in Muan-eup, issuing a statement calling for an end to the extension of the airport's closure and urging its swift reopening.

On this day, Park Ilsang, Chairman of the Muan International Airport Revitalization Promotion Committee, stated, "Muan International Airport has had its closure extended as many as seven times, and even the reopening roadmap, which was supposed to be announced last April, has yet to be presented. We express our deep regret and strong anger over this situation."

He further pointed out, "Due to the prolonged closure of the airport, not only residents of Muan County but also those in the Gwangju and South Jeolla regions, as well as the tourism and travel industries and airport-related workers, are suffering severe damage. Nevertheless, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport continues to ignore their desperate appeals."

Through the statement, the committee officially demanded that the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport: ▲ halt further extensions of the airport's closure; ▲ promptly relocate the memorial altar outside the airport; ▲ immediately present a roadmap for the reopening and normalization of Muan International Airport; and ▲ establish measures to revitalize the airport.

The committee also strongly urged, "What is needed now is not excuses, but decisive action. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport must not continue to provide formal responses and evade responsibility, but instead respond to the demand for the swift reopening of the airport with prompt and concrete measures."

The committee plans to continue working with the local community to persistently demand the normalization of the airport.