Civic Groups Urge Swift Permits to Lay the Groundwork for Gadeok Island New Airport to Open on Schedule

[Financial News] Civic groups in Busan, Ulsan, and South Gyeongsang Province are calling for administrative support, including swift permits and approvals from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT), to ensure that Gadeok Island New Airport opens on schedule.
Ten organizations, including the Gadeok Island Hub Airport Citizens’ Promotion Group, held a press conference at the briefing room of the Busan Metropolitan Council on the morning of the 8th and made the call.

The organizations first welcomed MOLIT’s plan to begin construction of the priority-construction section within the year. They said, "The civic groups of Busan, Ulsan, and South Gyeongsang Province, which have long called for the swift construction of Gadeok Island New Airport, welcome this progress."
However, they pointed out that many challenges remain as the project is about to move forward in earnest after the basic design was completed through numerous twists and turns. They stressed, "The remaining issues, including construction costs and permits and approvals, must be resolved promptly to prevent further delays."
They also expressed concern, saying, "Large-scale national projects such as Gadeok Island New Airport involve administrative procedures that are intricately linked among the central government, local governments, and various relevant agencies. If consultations among agencies are prolonged or it takes time to reconcile differences, the entire project schedule will inevitably be affected."
They therefore stressed that the government must prevent such possibilities in advance. They said efforts are needed to accelerate the process starting with permits and approvals by actively honoring the purpose of the special law and boldly reducing overlapping administrative procedures within the scope permitted by law.
They argued, "It is important for construction of the priority-construction section to begin without disruption within the year, naturally transition into the main construction, and proceed steadily across the entire project so that it leads to an on-schedule opening. Construction costs, the construction period, permits and approvals, safety, and quality should not be treated as separate issues; they must be managed comprehensively under the single goal of opening the airport on schedule."
Lee Ji-hoo, standing representative of the Gadeok Island Hub Airport Citizens’ Promotion Group, added, "The unavoidable increases in prices and construction costs resulting from recent changes in the international situation need to be objectively verified and reasonably reflected. While safety and environmental reviews must be conducted thoroughly, the permitting process should be streamlined decisively and consultations among relevant agencies should be expedited. The government must proactively resolve the remaining issues and take responsible decisions and action so that the project can proceed without disruption."
[email protected] Byeon Ok-hwan Reporter