Gadeokdo New Airport to Open in 2029... Centum 2 District as a 'Regional Techno Valley'

On the 13th in Busan, 'Public Livelihood Discussion with the People' Held
Railroad Undergrounding and Guduk Sports Complex to be Developed as a Complex

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Gadeokdo New Airport, located in Gangseo-gu, Busan Metropolitan City, is scheduled to open in December 2029. Gudeok Public Stadium in Seo-gu, Busan, is planned to be redeveloped as a complex urban regeneration innovation district. The underground railway project in the Busan area will also be promoted, and Centum 2 District will be developed as an urban high-tech business complex.

On the 13th, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced these Busan development plans at the 'Public Livelihood Discussion' held under the theme 'Busan Opens the Local Era Wide Open.' This discussion was hosted by the Presidential Committee on the Local Era.

Regarding the construction of Gadeokdo New Airport, the Ministry stated, "To expand the southern air routes and create a logistics network connected to Busan and Jinhae New Ports, we will open Gadeokdo New Airport by December 2029," adding, "We will also develop a logistics support facility site of 1.26 million square meters, approximately the size of 180 soccer fields, to develop it into a logistics-centered airport."

The Gadeokdo New Airport Construction Corporation, responsible for the airport construction, is scheduled to be established by the end of April. The Ministry announced the basic plan for the Gadeokdo New Airport construction project on December 29 last year. Currently, procedures for land compensation, design of passenger terminals and other architectural facilities, and site development project orders are underway.

Busan's Gudeok Stadium will be redeveloped with a total investment of 815.2 billion KRW. A Ministry official said, "The Gudeok Baseball Stadium within Gudeok Stadium was demolished in 2017 due to outdated facilities," and added, "Busan City plans to develop the Gudeok Stadium site into a complex of sports, cultural, commercial, and residential facilities." The Ministry and the Housing and Urban Guarantee Corporation (HUG) are supporting consulting to concretize the urban regeneration innovation district project plan.

The Busan railway undergrounding project is also being promoted. Railway undergrounding involves constructing new underground railways to replace above-ground tracks, developing the space above the railway and adjacent areas to cover construction costs. Since 2019, Busan City has been conducting preliminary studies through research projects on undergrounding.

Park Sang-woo, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, "The area around the Gyeongbu Line passing through downtown Busan is mostly low-density developed, with high development potential," and added, "If Busan City prepares a project plan and submits it to the government, we will review it during the comprehensive planning process."

Busan Centum 2 District will be developed as a "local version of Pangyo Techno Valley." Currently, Centum 2 District is being developed as an urban high-tech industrial complex. Construction will begin in the second half of this year after compensation work is completed. The Ministry said, "We plan to designate Centum 2 District as an urban convergence special zone to make it a hub for future mobility, robotics, and artificial intelligence."

A Ministry official stated, "The 'Special Act on the Creation and Promotion of Urban Convergence Special Zones' for promoting urban convergence special zone projects passed the National Assembly in October last year and will be enforced from April this year," adding, "Accordingly, subordinate laws will be prepared to allow local governments to lead and establish basic plans."

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