'UAM Shuttle Cuts Departure Procedures to 1 Hour' Incheon Airport to Transform by 2030

The Future Appearance of Incheon International Airport in 2030, Transformed.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyewon] Taking the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) airport shuttle, it takes just 38 minutes to reach Incheon International Airport from Gangnam Station, and only an additional 16 minutes to complete departure procedures. Travelers spend the night before their trip in a comfortable airport environment, similar to a complex shopping mall filled with various attractions and entertainment.

This is a glimpse of the passengers who will use Incheon International Airport, which will transform into a 'digital airport' by 2030. First, with a perfect digital transformation, the departure procedure time will be reduced by 69%, from the current 51 minutes to 16 minutes. Incheon International Airport and the Yeongjongdo area will evolve into a complex space for value consumption such as culture, art, and tourism. Additionally, as the first airport in Asia to introduce RE 100 and convert to 100% green mobility, it aims to leap from an energy-consuming airport to an energy self-sufficient airport. This is part of the 'Incheon International Airport New Vision 2030+' announced by Incheon International Airport Corporation on the 20th anniversary of the airport's opening on the 29th.

According to the plan, the scale of Incheon International Airport will grow even larger by 2030. Its capacity will expand from 77 million passengers to 136 million, the number of destination cities will increase from 180 to 250, and the number of slots (takeoff and landing operations) will increase from 75 to 100 per hour, expanding the network. The number of workers in the airport ecosystem will increase from 80,000 to 200,000, creating 120,000 new jobs.

Incheon International Airport Celebrates 20th Anniversary: What Are Its Achievements So Far?

Twenty years ago today, Incheon International Airport successfully opened after overcoming numerous challenges over 8 years and 4 months since the groundbreaking ceremony in November 1992. However, there were many twists and turns before the final airport opened.

In particular, the construction of Phase 1 of Incheon International Airport, considered the largest national project since the era of Dangun, took 100 months until opening. The budget alone was 5.6 trillion KRW. The total manpower involved was about 13.8 million person-days. On average, about 14,000 workers were dedicated to construction daily. The equipment mobilized annually was 2.53 million units, and the aggregate (gravel and stones) used amounted to 9,747,000 square meters, equivalent to 1 million 15-ton trucks. The total number of steel pipe piles used in Phase 1 construction was 32,557, which, if converted to length, equals 1,682 km?four times the distance between Seoul and Busan. The total number of design drawings created during construction was 480,000 sheets, which, if stacked one by one, would reach the height of a 180-story building.

As a result of such massive manpower and materials, the outline of the vast airport site of 17 million pyeong (approximately 56,168,000 square meters) was revealed. The area of Incheon International Airport is an enormous scale, 18 times the size of Yeouido, and if international standard soccer fields were built on it, 7,000 to 8,000 could fit.

In 1997, the unexpected IMF foreign exchange crisis also struck. Despite the crisis causing large-scale national projects to be halted or delayed, Incheon International Airport Corporation continued construction by raising funds through high-interest bonds that soared to 18.25%.

After overcoming these ups and downs, Incheon International Airport has experienced an average annual growth rate of 8% over the past 20 years. During the 20 years since opening, flights increased 3.1 times and passengers increased 3.4 times compared to 2002. The airport, which served 34 countries and 117 cities in its first year, expanded to 52 countries and 173 cities by 2019, with the number of airlines increasing by 87% to 88.

Incheon International Airport is recognized as a truly global representative hub airport, achieving the world's 3rd place in international cargo (2.66 million tons annually) and 5th place in international passengers (70 million annually) as of 2019. It has also focused on qualitative growth, securing its position as a global standard airport by ranking first in the Airport Service Quality (ASQ) evaluation worldwide for 12 consecutive years.

Incheon International Airport Corporation stated, "Not only has the airport contributed to national economic growth, but it has also realized accident-free and uninterrupted airport operations by establishing advanced safety management systems and strengthening cooperation among related agencies, minimizing flight delays and improving passenger convenience." They added, "The airport has continuously upgraded to a 'smart airport' by expanding the aviation industry ecosystem through development around the airport and proactively introducing 4th industrial revolution technologies such as biometrics, artificial intelligence (AI), and robotics, playing a leading role in the aviation industry's development in harmony with the local community."

The financial structure and contribution to national finances are also satisfactory. Since turning a profit in 2004, the airport has recorded net income for 16 consecutive years, establishing a sound financial structure, and has paid approximately 1.86 trillion KRW in government dividends over the past five years. The cumulative government dividends amount to 2.58 trillion KRW. The airport's contribution to government finances, including national and local taxes, has exceeded 1 trillion KRW annually.

20th Anniversary Ceremony... Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun: "Hope You Lead the Aviation Industry's Rebound, Government Will Spare No Support"

On this day, the 20th anniversary ceremony was held at Incheon International Airport's Terminal 1. Attendees included Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun, Chairperson Jin Sun-mi of the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Byun Chang-heum, first president Kang Dong-seok (former Minister of Construction and Transportation), Mayor of Incheon Park Nam-chun, as well as members of the National Assembly, airport resident agencies, and local government officials.

At the event, the major achievements of Incheon International Airport over the past 20 years were reviewed, and government awards were presented to eight individuals who contributed to the development of the airport industry and infrastructure expansion. The 'Incheon International Airport New Vision 2030+ Declaration Ceremony,' pledging to overcome the COVID-19 crisis and lead the aviation industry's rebound, was also held. Additionally, a traditional culture promotion media installation unveiling ceremony for foreign arrivals was organized at Terminal 1, hosted by the Cultural Heritage Administration and Incheon Airport Corporation.

Prime Minister Chung said, "The opening of Incheon International Airport was the hope of the entire nation for it to become the center of global aviation and a bold determination for South Korea to develop its aviation industry and lead the global era." He added, "Today, 20 years later, Incheon International Airport has risen as a world-class airport, realizing the hopes of the people and leading the remarkable growth of South Korea's aviation industry." He continued, "Despite the economic difficulties caused by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, with the development of vaccines and treatments restoring daily life, I hope Incheon International Airport will become the center of transportation and logistics in Northeast Asia and lead the aviation industry's rebound. The government will also spare no policy support."

Kim Kyung-wook, President of Incheon International Airport Corporation, said, "In the next 20 years, based on the newly established Vision 2030+, Incheon International Airport will continue to strengthen its future competitiveness in overall airport operations to remain a world-class airport that our people can be proud of."

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