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Gadeokdo New Airport Governance Holds the “1st Plenary Meeting of 2026”

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that the “1st Plenary Meeting of 2026” of the Gadeokdo New Airport Governance, a consultative body of related organizations for the successful implementation of the Gadeokdo New Airport project, will be held today (15th) at 2:00 PM in the conference room of Busan Station.

The meeting will be attended by relevant organizations including the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Busan, Ulsan, Gyeongsangnam-do, the Gadeokdo New Airport Construction Authority, the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology, the Korea Transport Institute, the Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements, and the Korea Maritime Institute.

At the meeting, participants plan to discuss major activities of governance subcommittees, the progress of site formation works, the status of service projects related to airport-centered development and land use planning, and the (draft) roadmap for establishing the new airport logistics system.

The Gadeokdo New Airport Governance was established in December 2024 based on the “Memorandum of Understanding for the Successful Development of Gadeokdo New Airport and Revitalization of the Regional Economy,” signed by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Busan, Ulsan, Gyeongsangnam-do, and the Gadeokdo New Airport Construction Authority, and has been in operation since its first meeting in February of last year.

Currently, a total of 42 organizations—including the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam, and public institutions—are participating. The governance operates under a dual structure consisting of plenary meetings and five subcommittee meetings, centered on six signatory institutions to the memorandum of understanding and four government-funded research institutes.

Last year, a total of 17 meetings were held, including three plenary meetings and fourteen subcommittee meetings, during which key agenda items were discussed to ensure the successful implementation of the Gadeokdo New Airport construction project and to revitalize the regional economy in areas such as logistics, industry, and tourism.

The plenary meeting (10 institutions) includes the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Busan Metropolitan City, Ulsan Metropolitan City, Gyeongsangnam-do, the Gadeokdo New Airport Construction Authority, the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology, the Korea Transport Institute, the Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements, and the Korea Maritime Institute.

The subcommittee meetings (five subcommittees) cover airport construction and operation preparation, transportation network development and connectivity, aviation demand enhancement and creation, logistics revitalization, and development and linkage of surrounding areas.

Following the governance meeting on this day, the (draft) plan for the establishment and operation of the “Gadeokdo New Airport Project Promotion Council,” involving the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Busan Metropolitan City, and the Gadeokdo New Airport Construction Authority, will also be discussed.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport previously announced in November last year a plan to resume the site formation works for Gadeokdo New Airport, along with an operational plan for a consultative body to continuously inspect safety and quality during construction and to respond promptly to changes in on-site conditions.

The Project Promotion Council is expected to be composed of key organizations such as the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Busan Metropolitan City, and the Gadeokdo New Airport Construction Authority, in order to more intensively discuss major issues arising during the airport construction process.

Park Jae-hong, Head of the New Airport Promotion Headquarters of Busan Metropolitan City, stated, “The three core components of the Gadeokdo New Airport construction—site formation, access railways, and access roads—have all been put on track,” adding, “Through the Gadeokdo New Airport Project Promotion Council, we will respond swiftly to various pending issues and make every effort to ensure the early opening of the airport.”