Korea Airports Corporation Launches Illegal Drone Crackdown Campaign: "Fines Up to 5 Million Won"

Prior Flight Approval Required Within 9.3 km of Airports

Korea Airports Corporation is launching an on-site campaign to prevent illegal drone flights around airports and to establish a safe drone culture.

On the 19th, officials from Korea Airports Corporation and Korea Transportation Safety Authority are taking a commemorative photo at the Domestic Departures Hall of Gimhae Airport during the 'Joint Campaign to Eradicate Illegal Drones'. Photo by Korea Airports Corporation

The corporation announced that on the 19th, it held a joint campaign at Gimhae Airport together with the Korea Transportation Safety Authority, targeting airport users to eradicate unauthorized illegal drone flights within the airport control zone.

This campaign was organized in response to the recent activation of the drone industry and the resulting increase in the number of drone operators, aiming to raise public awareness about airport control zones. Korea Airports Corporation, along with the Korea Transportation Safety Authority, distributed promotional materials detailing the safety management system, including drone registration, flight approval, and filming permits.

In particular, the campaign emphasized that before flying a drone, operators must check whether the area is a no-fly zone through the government’s official system, ‘Drone One-Stop Civil Service,’ and obtain prior flight approval from the regional aviation office. It was highlighted that flying a drone within the 9.3 km radius control zone around the airport without approval can result in a fine of up to 3 million won or a penalty of up to 5 million won under the Aviation Safety Act.

Kim Bokkeun, Head of the Safety and Security Division at Korea Airports Corporation, stated, “Unauthorized drone flights within control zones pose a direct threat to airport safety. Therefore, the corporation is continuously strengthening illegal drone prevention activities and safety awareness campaigns in cooperation with relevant agencies. We also ask the public to check the relevant regulations before flying and to join us in establishing a safe drone flight culture.”

Meanwhile, as drone flights surge during the spring, the corporation has been conducting the same campaign at Jeju Airport and Gimpo Airport since April, continuing efforts to raise awareness about the dangers of illegal drone flights around airports.

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