About a year ago, the transport ministry announced plans for the island’s second airport to be built in (성산) Seongsan. Feelings of hope and frustration are mixed in the area, while questions over the decision remain unanswered. Joseph Kim has more.
Report
A year ago, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced plans for a new airport for the island.
The ministry decided to build the new facility in Seongsan by 2025.
Right after the announcement, there was bitter opposition from area residents.
The Ministry of Strategy and Finance began conducting an economic feasibility study last year.
Its aim was to analyze economic pros and cons of building a new airport.
It’s the first step for the gigantic project.
The province requested Seoul to complete the feasibility study as soon as possible because the existing airport is reaching capacity much faster than expected.
However, the feasibility study is still underway without any deadline.
Basic design and enforcement plans cannot be drawn because of the delay.
Resident compensation plans, which area residents are looking forward to, are included in the enforcement plan.
Interview Hyeon Hak-su / Provincial government Only after the feasibility study is done can we move on to the next step. Approximately 200 million won has been earmarked for drawing up a development plan for the area around the new airport, but the feasibility study needs to be concluded first. <인터뷰: 현학수/ 道 공항확충지원과장> " 예비타당성조사가 완료돼야 후속 조치를 할 수 있습니다. 제주도에서도 준비하고 있는 공항주변발전계획 수립용역비가 2억 원이 반영됐지만 예비타당성조사 이후에 발주하는 것으로 준비단계에 있고요..."
Since the sudden announcement of the new airport site, opposition from area residents has continued.
[slug] Opposition from residents and civic groups
Recently, civic groups have entered the fray.
The province has established a support office at the Seongsan Town Hall to better communicate with residents.
Since the new airport announcement, land prices have soared.
Land prices in Seongsan-eup soared 9.44 percent during the first nine months of this year. That’s five times the national average of 1.97 percent.
Interview Kim Gyeong-bae / Representative of group opposing new airport The province never tried to listen to area residents. The decision over the new airport site was made without any consensus. Also, we suspect that the decision was made even before the province started to conduct the study to select a site. <인터뷰: 김경배/ 제2공항 반대대책위원회 부위원장> "노력들이 전혀 없는 상태죠. 우리가 요구하는 것은 지금 주민동의 없이 발표 난 것도 그렇지만 부지 선정 과정에 용역은 완전히 짜 맞추기 용역으로밖에 보이지 않고요..."
Islanders had high hopes on the island’s second airport construction one year ago.
[Reporter] Joseph Kim [Camera] Park Byeong-joon
However, the province has failed to address the concerns and opposition from area residents over the last 12 months.
