Incheon Airport Corporation holds live exercise to “prevent the worst-case scenario at Incheon Airport”

[Financial News] Incheon International Airport Corporation has launched a live exercise to prepare for a complex disaster involving a series of events such as flight cancellations, ticketing system failures and accidents involving large crowds. About 200 people from 13 agencies, including government bodies, airlines, fire services and medical institutions, took part and reviewed response procedures for each stage, from disruption to air transport to human casualties. The exercise aims to strengthen coordination among relevant agencies in the event of a major disaster and improve the safety of airport operations.
Incheon International Airport Corporation said it conducted the 2026 Safe Korea Disaster Response Exercise jointly with the government and relevant agencies on the 3rd in the departures area of Terminal 2 at Incheon International Airport.
About 200 people from 13 agencies took part in the exercise, including the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Seoul Regional Office of Aviation, the Yeongjong-gu Office, Yeongjong Fire Station, Korean Air and Jin Air. This year in particular, the number of participants and the scale of the exercise were increased, with the scenario assuming that multiple disasters would occur in succession over a short period.
The exercise began with a scenario in which flights were canceled because of an airline labor union’s refusal to work, leaving large numbers of passengers stranded in the terminal. A failure in the ticketing system for replacement flights followed, and the appearance of a famous entertainer among the stranded passengers led to a crowd-related accident, recreating a complex disaster scenario.
Incheon Airport Corporation and the relevant agencies reviewed emergency response procedures, including keeping passenger routes clear, managing crowds and providing first aid to the injured, in line with a step-by-step scenario. They also confirmed the responsibilities of each agency and reviewed coordination procedures to ensure a prompt on-site response in the event of an actual disaster.
Emergency rescue and medical institutions, including Yeongjong Fire Station, the Yeongjong-gu Public Health Center, Catholic Kwandong University International St. Mary’s Hospital and Yeongjong International Hospital, took part, particularly to prepare for casualties resulting from a crowd-related accident. The National Center for Disaster and Trauma reviewed its psychological support system for victims, while members of the public, including students from Bucheon University’s Department of Airline Services and residents of the Yeongjong area, also joined the exercise.
Earlier that morning, before the field exercise, a joint discussion-based exercise involving relevant agencies was also held at the Integrated Operations Center in Terminal 1. Kim Beom-ho, acting president of Incheon International Airport Corporation, and Son Hwa-jeong, head of the Yeongjong-gu Office, among others, attended to review the roles of each agency’s disaster response headquarters and emergency procedures and discuss ways to cooperate.
Kim Beom-ho, acting president of Incheon International Airport Corporation, said, “We will continue to conduct joint crisis-response exercises with relevant agencies, including this one, to strengthen Incheon International Airport’s ability to respond to crises and provide the public with even safer airport services.”

[email protected] Kim Dong-ho Reporter