“It has crossed the 9th ridge of Gadeok New Airport”… Will the National Assembly be resolved on the 26th?

Aerial view of Gadeokdo new airport

As the Special Act for the Construction of Gaduk New Airport (hereinafter referred to as the Special Act) was passed on the 19th by the National Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, the confirmation of the construction plan for Gaduk New Airport exceeded the 9th ridge. The city of Busan expects to be able to review the judiciary committee on the 25th and a plenary resolution on the 26th due to the passage of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of the special law.

If a special law is passed by the National Assembly, the controversy over the construction of a gateway airport in the southeastern region, raised after the crash of Mt. Todae in Gimhae on April 15, 2002 in which 129 people were killed and 37 people were injured, is expected to end in 18 years and 10 months.

The area of ​​Gadeok-do, Cheonseong-dong, Gangseo-gu, Busan, where Gadeok New Airport will be built. [연합뉴스]

Busan Mayor Lee Byeong-jin held a press conference on the 21st and said, “The Gaduk New Airport Special Act was passed without major changes in the original bill reflecting the wishes of the 8 million citizens of Busan, Ulsan and Gyeongnam.” I will do my best to open the port until,” he said.

Gadeok New Airport is to construct an international flight on Gadeokdo Island in Cheonseong-dong, Gangseo-gu, Busan, and the special law included details such as: ▶Gadeokdo location confirmation ▶Preliminary feasibility study exemption ▶Gimhae new airport blanking for construction of the new Gadeok Airport, which has a complex function centered on logistics and passengers.

Construction location of Gaduk New Airport. [제공 부산시]

The city of Busan plans to complete the construction of the new airport on Gadeokdo Island before the 2030 World Expo, with the passage of the National Territorial Commission of the Special Act. This special law was created by incorporating special laws initiated by the opposition parties. Major matters for the early construction of Gaduk New Airport were included.

The first is’confirmation of the location of Gaduk New Airport’. It was nailed to build a new airport on Gadeokdo Island without a separate location selection process by specifying that Article 1 (Purpose) of the Special Act regulates the matters necessary for the rapid construction of the Gadeok new airport. This is three months after the verification committee of the Prime Minister’s Office verified the construction plan of the Gimhae new airport and announced its opinion in November last year that “a fundamental review is necessary”.

The second is’exemption from preliminary feasibility study’. In spite of Article 38, Paragraph 1 of the National Finance Act, Article 7 of the Special Act stipulated that the preliminary feasibility study could be exempted, thereby providing a legal basis to accelerate the completion of the airport. The preliminary feasibility study usually takes about a year.

In addition, members of the Democratic Party, such as Woo Won-sik, chairman of the National Balanced Development Special Committee, issued a statement at the National Assembly communication hall calling for the passage of the original bill of the Gadeokdo New Airport Special Act. Reporter Oh Jong-taek

The third is’Specify the grounds for blanking of Gimhae New Airport’. According to the supplementary provisions, the existing Gimhae new airport construction plan was to be discontinued and the construction of the new Gadeok airport was included in the 6th comprehensive airport development plan. This is an item that could put an end to the controversy over the abolition of the Gimhae new airport construction plan.

Busan City participates in the’New Airport Construction Promotion Team’ operated by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport under the Special Act, reflects the opinions of the Bu, Ul, and the police, and promotes fast track (concurrent design and construction, etc.) under the Construction Technology Promotion Act to conduct a preliminary feasibility study, exemption from preliminary strikes, and environment. If administrative procedures such as impact assessment, basic plan establishment and design are followed, the construction of the new airport in Gaduk is expected to start in January 2024.

Construction plan of Gimhae New Airport by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Source: Busan City

“As the current legal system takes a long time to select the location of the new airport, we have promoted the enactment of a special law for the rapid construction of the new airport in Gaduk.” It is thanks to the efforts of the civic groups and the 8 million Boo, Ul, Gyeonggi, and provincial citizens with one heart.”

Busan = Reporter Hwang Sun-yoon [email protected]