Korea Airports Corporation Union: "Incheon Airport Has Grown Rapidly as a Hub... Now It's Time for Balanced Development"

by Choi Youngchan

Published 18 Mar.2026 08:24(KST)

Effectively Supporting the Government's Push for Airport Consolidation

As the government is pushing for the consolidation of airport operating institutions, the labor union of Korea Airports Corporation has effectively expressed its support for integration.

Korea Airport Corporation Headquarters. Korea Airport Corporation

On March 17, the labor union of Korea Airports Corporation issued a statement saying, "Although the government has repeatedly pledged to revitalize regional airports, most policy support has been concentrated on Incheon Airport due to the bias toward international routes. As a result, regional airports are facing growing marginalization in terms of air traffic convenience, reduced budgets for facility investments, and cuts in workforce investment, which is accelerating their decline. We can no longer postpone addressing these issues."

The union added, "Korea Airports Corporation has been operating regional airports across the country, including newly constructed regional airports, using the profits generated from international airports such as Gimpo, Gimhae, and Jeju. While complying with the government's strategy to develop Incheon Airport as a hub and not to burden the national economy, we have endured over 20 years of freezes in airport usage fees and facility charges. However, this operational structure has reached its limit."

The union also stressed, "Under the former International Airport Management Corporation Act, Incheon Airport was originally built and was supposed to be operated by the current Korea Airports Corporation. However, due to the perceived need to distinguish roles between regional airports and Incheon Airport-and the logic of the international hub strategy-the two corporations were split in 1999. Over the more than 20 years since, the structural issues facing other airports have inevitably worsened."

In addition, regarding the government's drive for consolidation, the union proposed: ▲ shifting to a national policy of balanced development for regional airports centered on all citizens and preparing win-win measures ▲ optimizing international air routes to boost local tourism and improve air traffic convenience ▲ and strengthening global airport competitiveness by eliminating overlapping functions and unnecessary competition.