Defects found in Inchon Airport information system

Just one month ahead of the opening of Inchon International Airport, defects were found in its integrated information communications system, equivalent to the brains of the airport. The system is now undergoing checks from a U.S. company specializing in systems integration (SI).

The integrated information communications system is an ultra-modern mechanism that is crucial to the safe landing of aircraft and in dealing with runway, electricity and other problems. If the system runs into trouble, all airport functions could come to a standstill. With the airport`s March 29 grand opening just over a month away, the cause of the defects has yet to be determined, raising doubts as to whether the airport will go into operation on time.

Deficiencies were also detected in other areas related to the airport`s operations, raising fears of a lack of safety and inefficient management. However, airport authorities maintain that the defects will be corrected and the airport will open on schedule. Some critics said airport authorities were putting the lives of aircraft passengers at risk.

According to the Inchon International Airport Corporation, the results of test operations of the integrated information communications system, built by Samsung SDS, showed that some defects were apparent in the processing of passengers and baggage and in the network sector. The system underwent checks by several foreign agencies but the source of the problems has yet to be found.

The airport asked the U.S. agency to conduct an overall check of the troubled system early this year. It said that completely correcting the defects would be almost impossible before the grand opening.

Kang Dong-Seok, president of the Inchon International Airport Co., said the overall review of the information-communication system would continue until Mar. 5. Samsung SDS said it is not responsible for the defects in the part of the system that concerns passenger and baggage processing.

Song Jin-Hup jinhup@donga.com