Inchon Int¡¯l Airport tax to rise to W15,000

The airport usage fee, commonly known as the departure tax, at Inchon International Airport will be set at 15,000 won ($12) for international flights, 60 percent higher than that at Kimpo Airport. Inchon airport is due to open in March.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Construction and Transportation said Friday that the fee was subject to approval by the board of directors of the Inchon International Airport Corporation, but that it was tentatively set at 15,000 won, 6,000 won higher than Kimpo¡¯s 9,000 won.

Thus, Korean travelers leaving the country will have to pay 25,000 won in total since they must pay an additional 10,000 won for the tourism fund. The ministry spokesman said the fee increase was needed in order to cover the deficit of 4.3 trillion won the Inchon International Airport Corporation is expected to incur this year.

Inchon¡¯s 15,000 won is lower than 2,400 yen (26,000 won) at Narita, Japan, and A$30 (21,000 won) at Sydney, but is higher than the 8,200 won at Chek Lap Kok in Singapore and 13,000 won at Vancouver Airport.

The ministry said the airport would collect 140 billion won annually from the increased usage fees, higher than the 70 billion won collected by Kimpo.

The spokesman said that the airport usage fee for domestic flights would be maintained at the current level of 3,000 won.