Gov't to spend $4 billion on Jeju's controversial second airport

The Korean government plans to invest $4.08 billion in Jeju's second airport, aiming to alleviate traffic issues.

Deisgn plan for Jeju's second airport set to be constructed in Seongsan-eup, Seogwipo [MINISTRY OF LAND, INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORT]

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport earmarked 5.45 trillion won ($4.08 billion) for the construction of Jeju’s second airport, for which the master plan will be submitted on Friday.

The plan comes nine years since the motion was first raised in 2015 with the aim of easing traffic from the island’s sole airport. It has since faced fierce opposition, mainly over environmental concerns, and is expected to meet further roadblocks, as a date for construction has yet to be decided.

The airport will span a total of 5.51 million square meters (59.31 million square feet) in Seongsan-eup, Seogwipo, the Transport Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

It will encompass key facilities including one airstrip, taxiways, an airside area that can fit 28 planes, a passenger terminal and a freight terminal.

The ministry expects the Seogwipo airport to accommodate 16.9 million passengers annually, which will reduce traffic from Jeju’s current sole airport in Jeju City. A total of 15.02 million travelers traveled through the congested Jeju International Airport last year, which the ministry thinks will increase to 41.08 million by 2055.

Jeju residents protest the construction of the island's second airport in front of the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province's offices on Thursday. [NEWS1]

The project will be completed in two stages. The earmarked 5.45 trillion won will be put toward the first stage of construction and securing a site for the second expansion, both which will be outlined in the master plan. The second expansion, which is expected to increase the airport’s annual capacity to up to 19.92 million passengers, will be reviewed later. The ministry is also looking into creating a cultural and industrial hub surrounding the airport following its construction.

By 2055, the ministry expects the airport to accommodate 19.92 million passengers and 120,000 tons of shipped cargo annually, which will increase Jeju’s total air traffic capacity to 41.08 million passengers and 477,000 tons of cargo.

The ministry says it plans to build an “eco-friendly” airport that minimizes damage to the area’s underground water reserves. The passenger terminal will get 60 to 80 percent of its energy from renewable energy sources, and an alternative habitat will be created for biodiversity that previously existed on the airport’s site.

The ministry will have to submit a design plan, which it plans to start later in the year, and be assessed for environmental impact. The environmental impact assessment will require approval from the Jeju government, in line with the province's law, as well as from the Jeju Special Self-Governing Provincial Council.

Jeju's second airport will span 5.51 million square meters (59.31 million square feet) in Seongsan-eup, Seogwipo, pictured in this photo taken on Thursday. [NEWS1]

The environmental impact assessment's negotiations and approval, as well as plans regarding its operation and land compensation, will take around five years, a Jeju government official told the JoongAng Ilbo, an affiliate of the Korea JoongAng Daily.

Airports take an average of five years to begin operations after construction starts.

The airport, which was initially planned to commence operations in 2025, has continuously been met with opposition from both residents and the Ministry of Environment for its potential harm to the resort island’s natural environment.

Key issues to be discussed in the environmental impact assessment will include the accuracy in calculation of demand for air travel; potential collusions between aircraft and birds, some of which are legally protected; the conservation of habitats for birds; the conservation value of Jeju's underground water tunnels, which are vital in regulating temperature and humidity for wildlife; and the possibility of lava tubes existing in the construction site.

BY KIM JU-YEON [kim.juyeon2@joongang.co.kr]