Mayor Lee Yong-seop: "Gwangju Private Airport to Relocate and Integrate with Muan Airport"

"Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Ministry of National Defense-led Four-Party Consultative Body to Decide Military Airport Relocation Timing Along with Issues"

"Jeonnam Province Actively Working to Early Resolve Military Airport I

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Park Seon-gang] Lee Yong-seop, Mayor of Gwangju Metropolitan City, announced the city’s position on the “Policy Recommendations Regarding the Relocation of Gwangju Civil Airport and Military Airport” by the Gwangju Citizens’ Rights Committee (hereinafter Citizens’ Rights Committee) on the morning of the 9th.

This is a response to the policy recommendation from the Citizens’ Rights Committee, made on the 12th of last month based on citizen discussions and opinion polls, advising Mayor Lee to “postpone the planned relocation of Gwangju Civil Airport scheduled for 2021 and decide the timing only after a clear agreement on the military airport relocation site.”

Mayor Lee stated, “We have made efforts to seek an integrated solution that reflects the deep intentions of Gwangju citizens as expressed by the Citizens’ Rights Committee recommendation (x), the win-win development of Gwangju and Jeonnam (y), and the government’s airport policy goals (z). Among the various options available under current conditions, we have prepared the optimal solution.”

This solution is expected to serve as a breakthrough and a clue to resolving the long-stalled issue of relocating the military and civil airports.

The mayor clearly stated, “According to the Citizens’ Rights Committee opinion poll, 55.9% of Gwangju citizens want to keep the civil airport in Gwangju, but from the broader perspective of win-win development between Gwangju and Jeonnam, we will relocate and integrate the Gwangju civil airport into Muan Airport.”

However, regarding the timing of the relocation, he said, “We will respect the will of Gwangju citizens and also ensure that the spirit of win-win cooperation between Gwangju and Jeonnam is not compromised by following the decision of the ‘four-party consultative body’ led by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Ministry of National Defense.”

He added, “We will do our utmost through consultations with Jeollanam-do to resolve the military airport issue early and enable the civil airport to relocate and integrate as soon as possible, preferably next year.”

The mayor has previously judged that there are limits to resolving the relocation issues of Gwangju civil and military airports through efforts by the two local governments alone and has requested active roles from central government ministries.

As a result, on the 13th of last month, senior officials at the bureau chief level from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of National Defense, Gwangju City, and Jeonnam Province held the first meeting regarding the integration of civil airports and relocation of the military airport.

At the meeting, a four-party consultative body (tentatively named “Airport-related Agencies Consultative Body for Win-win Development of Gwangju and Jeonnam”) was formed, consisting of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (the civil airport authority), the Ministry of National Defense (the military airport authority), Gwangju City (current location of civil and military airports), and Jeonnam Province (planned relocation site for Gwangju civil and military airports). They agreed to prepare effective support measures for the military airport relocation area through research projects and to resolve the civil and military airport relocation issues based on these measures.

Mayor Lee emphasized, “This plan, in which the four-party consultative body jointly decides on the military airport relocation issue and the timing of the civil airport relocation, is a solution that satisfies the Citizens’ Rights Committee recommendation (x), the win-win development of Gwangju and Jeonnam (y), and the government’s policy goals (z) mentioned earlier.”

In particular, Mayor Lee plans to actively work with the four-party consultative body and relevant government departments, including the Prime Minister’s Office, to ensure sufficient support for the military airport relocation area and local governments, such as relocating public institutions, attracting military airport-related industries, expanding support projects, and enhancing transportation networks. He also intends to actively promote the establishment of the “Gwangju Military Airport Relocation Project Support Committee” within the Prime Minister’s Office.

Regarding the name of the integrated airport if the Gwangju civil airport is relocated and integrated into Muan International Airport, Mayor Lee agreed with the majority opinion of Gwangju citizens, which is “Gwangju Muan Airport.”

The mayor said, “According to the citizen opinion poll, ‘Gwangju Muan Airport’ received 42.8%, ‘Muan Airport’ 35.1%, and ‘Muan Gwangju Airport’ 13.9%. Considering the purpose of airport integration, improving user understanding and convenience, and the need for Gwangju’s cooperation for the development of the integrated airport, ‘Gwangju Muan Airport’ is desirable as the citizens wish.”

He also stated, “The recently proposed ‘Muan Gwangju Airport’ by Jeollanam-do does not reflect the will of Gwangju citizens. The name ‘Kim Dae-jung International Airport,’ proposed by former Blue House Senior Secretary for Political Affairs Kang Ki-jung, was already considered during the opening of Muan Airport in 2007 but did not reach a final agreement. We will also strive to reach an agreement on the integrated airport name within the four-party consultative body.”

Regarding this decision, the mayor emphasized, “When making difficult decisions, I have always used three criteria as my judgment standards: ① How will history evaluate this in the future? ② Does it help the development of Gwangju and its citizens? ③ Does it conflict with national development?”

Especially, Mayor Lee said, “Win-win cooperation is more important in practice than in words, and it begins with mutual concessions and consideration. I hope that the solutions prepared based on rational grounds and the perspective of win-win development, recognizing that Gwangju and Jeonnam are inseparable co-fate entities, will be sincerely conveyed to the Citizens’ Rights Committee and the citizens of Gwangju and Jeonnam.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.