TK New Airport Special Act and Gwangju Military Airport Act Pass National Assembly

The so-called 'Twin Laws,' the Daegu·Gyeongbuk (TK) New Airport Special Act and the Gwangju Military Airport Relocation Special Act, passed the National Assembly on the 13th.

On the afternoon of the same day, the National Assembly held a plenary session and passed the 'Special Act for the Construction of the Daegu·Gyeongbuk Integrated New Airport' with 228 votes in favor, 9 against, and 17 abstentions out of 254 members. The 'Special Act on the Relocation of Gwangju Military Airport and Development of the Former Site' was also approved with 245 votes in favor, 3 against, and 8 abstentions out of 256 members.

The special bill (alternative) for the construction of the integrated Daegu-Gyeongbuk New Airport was passed at the plenary session of the National Assembly held on the afternoon of the 13th. (Photo by Yonhap News)

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The TK New Airport Special Act centers on relocating the Daegu military airport to build an integrated new airport in the Gyeongbuk region. It includes provisions to promote the project through a 'donation in exchange for transfer' method, supporting the financial shortfall of the project with national funds, and exempting the preliminary feasibility study for the new airport construction project. The donation in exchange for transfer method means that the project implementer donates facilities to the military in return for receiving and developing the existing site to recover costs.

The groundbreaking is scheduled for 2025. The government and Daegu City plan to open the TK New Airport as a civilian-military complex airport by 2030.

Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo expressed his thoughts on his Facebook on the day, saying, "The gateway airport for the central and southern regions is now swiftly advancing as if a sail has caught the wind," and added, "I bow my head in gratitude to everyone who worked hard for the passage of this law."

The Gwangju Military Airport Relocation Act contains administrative and financial support grounds to ensure the smooth progress of the Gwangju military airport relocation project. It allows for the assumption of permits and approvals stipulated by other laws for the development project of the former site to enable rapid project promotion. The Minister of National Defense may, if necessary, transfer facilities and land installed as support projects to local governments in the relocation surrounding area despite the 'State Property Act.'

Additionally, if necessary for the airport relocation project, the state may subsidize or loan the required costs to the project implementer within the budget. Despite Article 55 of the 'State Property Act' and Article 9 of the 'Special Act on Military Airport Relocation and Support,' if the project cost exceeds the value of the property whose use has been abolished during the military airport relocation and support project process, support can be provided to the project implementer upon the request of the head of the relevant central government agency within the budget.

With the enforcement date of the two special acts set to four months after the promulgation of the bills, the projects are expected to gain momentum. The existing bill's supplementary provisions stipulated enforcement six months after promulgation, but the ruling and opposition parties agreed to shorten it to four months after discussions in the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee.

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