Ulleung Airport to be built by 2025

Ulleung Island will be connected to Seoul by flight by 2025, reducing the travel time from seven hours to about an hour. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced Sunday that the construction of a new airport on Ulleung would begin as an agreement has been reached regarding the environmental impact assessment.

A total of 665.1 billion won will be invested, and the airport, which is expected to be completed by 2025, will accommodate small airplanes carrying 50 or fewer passengers and be equipped with a 1,200-meter runway and a passenger terminal.

The construction project has been conducted in phases after the preliminary feasibility test was completed in 2013. A basic plan was publicized in 2015, which was followed by the announcement of basic planning in 2017. It was put out to tender in 2019, and the Daelim Consortium won the contract.

Building small airports on islands has been part of the ministry’s “4th mid- and long-term initiative for airport development” formulated in 2011, which aims to offer safer and more convenient transportation, where it is impossible to build bridges and boats are the only mode of transportation that connects islands with other regions of the country.

“Building small airports on islands will not only provide convenience but also improve the quality of life for islanders by increasing the access to healthcare, education and welfare services,” said a source from the ministry. “Citizens can enjoy leisure islands have to offer, while small airliners that operate 50-passenger aircrafts can benefit.”


Yeun-Kyung Cho yunique@donga.com