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Gimhae International Airport gets an upgrade

 

After five years of construction, the Gimhae International Airport unveiled a second expansion of its international terminal on April 26. 

The first expansion was completed in 2016. However, the number of international passengers surpassed 10 million in 2018 and 2019. The insufficient capacity resulted in long wait times for ticketing, baggage claims and immigration.

With this second expansion, the terminal can now comfortably accommodate 8.3 million passengers annually, a substantial increase of 31.7 percent from the previous capacity of 6.3 million. This means shorter wait times and a more pleasant travel experience for all. 

The expansion includes 11 new immigration checkpoints and two additional baggage claims to reduce congestion at the arrival areas. The changes help Gimhae International Airport better serve passengers until the forthcoming Gadeokdo New Airport is completed in 2029, which is expected to handle all inbound and outbound international travel in the region.

In addition, Busan is actively pursuing additional air routes. In February, Korea and Indonesia agreed to expand the number of flights between their airports, paving the way for more travel opportunities between the countries.

Busan is also anticipating opening direct flights to North America and Europe.

<Today's Vocabulary - 오늘의 단어>

construction: 공사 unveil: 공개하다  expansion: 확장 passenger: 승객 insufficient: 불충분한 capacity: 수용력 accommodate: 수용하다 substantial: 상당한 forthcoming: 다가오는 pursue: 힘쓰다