How Will Nominee for Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Byeon Chang-heum Handle the Southeast Region New Airport Issue?

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo In-ho] Attention is focusing on how Byun Chang-heum, the nominee for Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, will handle the Southeast region new airport issue.

After the Prime Minister's Office Gimhae New Airport Verification Committee announced that a fundamental review of the Gimhae Airport expansion plan is necessary, the ruling political circles have been pushing for the Gadeokdo New Airport, but the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the competent authority, has yet to present a concrete direction.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport issued a press release after the verification committee's announcement, stating, "We accept the results according to the agreement made last June with the three heads of the Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam (Bu-Ul-Gyeong) regions," and added, "We will promptly prepare follow-up measures in consultation with the Prime Minister's Office and related agencies."

The ministry also expressed some regret over the verification results, saying, "In accordance with the 2015 agreement among the governors of the five Yeongnam region cities and provinces, we commissioned the French Paris Airport Engineering (ADPi), an overseas professional institution, and in June of the following year, confirmed Gimhae New Airport as the optimal location for the Southeast region gateway airport and have been reviewing the basic plan."

Inside and outside the ministry, it is expected that a specific policy regarding the Southeast region new airport will be established after nominee Byun takes office. The ball has effectively been passed to nominee Byun, who was appointed as successor to Minister Kim Hyun-mi.

However, since nominee Byun is a housing supply expert, there is speculation that he is more likely to act according to the intentions of the Blue House or political circles rather than pushing the Southeast region new airport issue according to his own will. In the past, nominee Byun is known to have taken the position that the construction of the Southeast region new airport should proceed only after the two metropolitan local governments, Busan and Daegu, reach an agreement.

Nominee Byun stated in a 2011 media article, “The two metropolitan economic zones’ local governments should jointly form a (Southeast region new airport) planning team, evaluate appropriate locations, and induce a re-promotion after deriving a consensus plan.”

He continued, “A solution must be found even through cost-sharing methods among local governments,” and said, “The related local governments should contribute the benefits arising from the relocation, closure, or establishment of existing airports to the construction and operation costs of the airport.”

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