The national government included five billion won in next year’s budget for the design of Jeju’s second airport, but little work has been done on a preliminary feasibility study, which is slated for completion at the end of this year. Joseph Kim reports. Report
slug Funding for new airport design included in budget proposal
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport recently submitted its 2017 budget proposal to the Natioinal Assembly and the proposal includes funding to design the island’s second airport.
The budget will be spent on decision making for the size and layout of the new airport and devise ways to secure financing for the huge project.
The land ministry plans to allocate 4.5 billion won for the new airport in (김해) Gimhae and 5 billion won for the island’s second airport.
slug Preliminary feasibility study being delayed
The province requested for a quick wrap-up of the preliminary feasibility study which is a prerequisite for construction to begin before the end of this year.
But the request was not properly submitted to national authorities and there has been no further news about the study results.
The province currently has no timeline for the completion of the feasibility study.
INTERVIEW Hyeon Hak-su / Representative, Provincial government The preliminary feasibility study is currently underway. The province can get national funding next year if the study is finished. < 현학수 / 제주도 공항확충지원과장 > 현재 예비타당성 조사가 진행 중에 있고 금년도에 마무리가 이뤄지면 내년도 예산에 국가공항개발 기본사업비로 국가 예산으로 반영됩니다.
The island announced that it will organize a consultative body to resolve conflicts with area residents when the feasibility study results come out.
But due to the delayed research, conflicts between the province and local residents are heating up.
The island’s plans, in line with the feasibility study, to come up with measures to develop the new airport site hasn’t been developed at all.
INTERVIEW Representative of transport ministry We have asked for a quick wrap-up of the feasibility study, but we haven’t heard when it will be done. We suppose that the Korea Development Institute is cautiously approaching the study, especially regarding airport capacity and construction costs. < 국토교통부 관계자 > (예비타당성 조사를) 서둘러서 끝내달라고 지속 요청하고 있는데 언제 끝난다 라는 말이 정확하게 들은 답은 없고요. KDI(한국개발연구원) 쪽에서도 수요 검증이나 사업비 검증 부분에서 신중하게 보고 있는 것 같고요.
The new airport construction project could face further delay.
[reporter] Joseph Kim [camera] Kim Seung-cheol
Cooperation between the Province, local residents, national authorities and the National Assembly is needed for the project to succeed.
