Jeju Southern Airspace Control Zone with High Accident Risk to Be Managed by Korea

Current Air Traffic Corridors and Step-by-Step Improvement Plan Conceptual Diagram (Photo by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport)

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Jiwon] South Korea will take charge of air traffic control at the intersection of the Jeju southern air corridor and the Seoul?Southeast Asia route, which had raised many safety concerns. Additionally, a formal air route will be established between Korea and China, where flights have been operating abnormally without official routes, in accordance with international regulations.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 11th that Korea, China, and Japan agreed on December 25 last year to gradually establish and operate a new air route and air traffic control system to replace the Jeju southern air corridor starting March 25.

An air corridor refers to a zone where flights can only operate at specific altitudes due to special conditions that make setting conventional air routes difficult. The Jeju southern air corridor was established in March 1983 through coordination and arbitration by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and by agreement among Korea, China, and Japan.

This area is located within Korea’s Flight Information Region (FIR), but air traffic control west of longitude 125°E has been managed by China, and east of it by Japan. This arrangement has raised many safety concerns. Above all, the number of flights passing through this area surged from an average of 10 per day in 1983, when the air corridor was established, to 580 per day in 2019, leading to continuous calls for countermeasures.

Under the recent agreement, South Korea will take over control of the Japanese-controlled airspace where east-west and north-south air routes intersect, which had posed significant safety risks. Currently, South Korea manages the route from south of Jeju to Southeast Asia, while Japan controls the east-west air corridor crossing the Southeast Asia route. Going forward, South Korea will manage all these routes. A dual-track air route will be established in the Korea-Japan connecting section, further enhancing safety.

In the Chinese-controlled airspace, a formal air traffic control agreement between Korea and China will be signed, and a direct communication line between Korean and Chinese air traffic control agencies will be installed in accordance with international regulations, establishing a fully cooperative air traffic control system. This first-phase agreement will be implemented starting March 25.

In the second phase, through additional consultations between Korea and China, a new air route will be established throughout the Incheon Flight Information Region as originally reported and agreed upon by the ICAO Council. This is tentatively scheduled to take effect on June 17.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport plans to prepare thoroughly for the first-phase operation based on its excellent navigation infrastructure and air traffic control capabilities, while swiftly concluding remaining consultations with China to ensure smooth preparation for the second-phase operation.

Kim Sang-do, Director of the Aviation Policy Office at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, "By removing the air corridor created during the Cold War era and introducing new air routes and air traffic control systems, we can dramatically improve aviation safety in the southern Jeju Flight Information Region. We expect this will also better support international air transport by increasing traffic capacity through an efficient air traffic network."

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