Daegu Mayor Kwon Young-jin: Will Transform K-2 Military Airport Site into a World-Class Urban Space

When Height Restrictions Are Lifted, 38㎢ of Residential, Commercial, and Industrial Areas Can Be Developed Without Height Limits

Status of Flight Safety Zones Designated at K-2 Military Airport.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yeo Jong-gu] With the promotion of the Daegu-Gyeongbuk New Airport project, the height restrictions on 38㎢ of residential, commercial, and industrial areas surrounding the military airport have been lifted, leading to an analysis that urban development will gain momentum.

On the 26th, Daegu City announced on the 27th that it plans to simulate the spatially restricted areas, which have been a major obstacle to regional development for decades due to their classification as military airport zones, and based on the results, prepare a management plan linked to the former K-2 base site.

The flight safety zones are divided into Zones 1 through 6, with altitude restrictions imposed to protect the Air Force base and ensure the flight safety of military aircraft.

Currently, these zones cover 114㎢, accounting for 13% of Daegu City's total area of 883.5㎢, where approximately 240,000 households reside.

Zone 1 is the runway of the K-2 military airport; Zones 2 and 3, which are the fighter jet takeoff and landing areas, have building height limits ranging from 3 to 50 floors; Zone 4, directly adjacent to the runway in the north-south direction, is limited to 7 to 12 floors; and the broadly designated Zones 5 and 6, set for flight safety, have building height restrictions of approximately 12 to 50 floors.

As a result, about 95% of residential buildings are under five floors, forming predominantly low-rise residential areas. In particular, the area with floor restrictions of 15 floors or less covers 30㎢, where about 60,000 households live.

Among these, approximately 6㎢ in parts of Zone 2, Zone 4, and Zone 5 are designated as second-class general residential areas, third-class general residential areas, semi-residential areas, and commercial areas without floor restrictions.

With the lifting of height restrictions, 38㎢ of residential, commercial, and industrial areas will be available for development without height limits, and a revolutionary change is expected in a total area of 44.9㎢, including the 6.9㎢ former K-2 base site.

The area expected to see the most significant change is the 1.3㎢ semi-residential area formed by low-rise housing south of the runway, where after the lifting of restrictions, the population and number of households are estimated to double compared to current figures, the floor area ratio will increase by more than 220%, and high-rise buildings of about 30 floors will be possible.

This is expected to provide new opportunities for local residents who have been excluded from development for decades due to noise damage and height restrictions.

The city plans to integrate the ‘Daegu Sky City’ on the K-2 site with the surrounding areas to lead the joint growth of the former K-2 base development and the existing urban area. It will also establish a systematic management direction reflecting the characteristics of each flight safety zone to create a balanced and harmonious urban space.

Daegu Mayor Kwon Young-jin said, “With the relocation of the K-2 military airport, Daegu will become a city completely free from height restrictions and noise, and we will do our best to ensure that all Daegu citizens can enjoy a pleasant environment.”

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