This week on Jeju: A to Z, Todd Thacker profiles one of Jeju Island’s most important pieces of infrastructure: the airport. Located right here in Jeju City, it handles millions of visitors annually and is adapting to meet rising demand.



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The lure of Jeju’s myriad sites and attractions has meant staggering growth in traveller numbers. And nowhere is this more apparent than where these millions of visitors first set foot on the island.

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29.7 million users, 172,000 flights (2016)

Jeju International Airport is the second busiest airport in Korea behind Incheon. In 2016, the airport recorded 29.7 million users and air traffic control handled a staggering 172,000 arrivals and departures, according to statistics from the Korea Airports Corporation.

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7 domestic, 12 international carriers

Seven domestic airlines and a dozen international carriers fly here. And with the rapid growth of international travel in the region, international flights here hail from China, Japan, and Taiwan, among other places.

The airport’s humble beginnings were as a military airbase first constructed in the 1940s. It was designated an international airport in 1968 and an infrastructure and facilities expansion project finished in 2012.

Because the airport is in Jeju City, arriving and departing aircraft can be seen and heard throughout the day. There is a limit to the number of flights per hour and six monitoring stations keep track of noise pollution.

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Duty-free shops, luggage storage, parking for 2,500 vehicles

Jeju Airport has the usual mix of airport facilities that travellers have come to expect, including duty free shopping, a luggage storage area, and an expanded parking area that can accommodate up to 2,500 vehicles. Since the end of August, new public bus routes conveniently run directly from the airport to destinations around the island.

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Todd Thacker

It’s clear that tourism greatly contributes to our overall prosperity. And as Jeju’s main gateway, airport infrastructure will continue to play an important role in the island’s future.

Todd Thacker KCTV