Discussion on the appropriateness of 'Gadeokdo' as a location for the new airport began 20 years ago. Although the atmosphere is conducive to the project as promised by President Lee Jae-myung, there are still significant concerns from the aviation and construction sectors regarding 'safety and economic viability.' Attention is focused on the inherent limitations of Gadeokdo International Airport and the background behind Hyundai E&C's declaration of non-participation as the leading contractor of the consortium. ChosunBiz aims to delve deeply into technical safety issues such as construction methods and uneven settlement ahead of the re-tendering for the 'Gadeokdo International Airport site development project.' <Editor's note>
"I have lived in Gadeokdo for 50 years. They say they will build an airport soon, but I haven't heard where I should go to live. It's really unsettling..."
Kim (77, female), who runs a supermarket in Gadeokdo, Busan, said she has been having trouble sleeping lately. She settled in Gadeokdo after getting married in the 1970s and has made a living by operating a small store for 40 years. Hearing rumors about 'whether the airport will be built' has been going on for more than 20 years. Since it was just talk, Kim didn't pay much attention.
She thought she would spend her later years making pocket money from the supermarket. It was only recently that the 'Gadeokdo International Airport' began to shake Kim's life. This was due to the rapid progress of the project. Uncertain about where to go, Kim is now just waiting for the relocation measures from the Gadeokdo International Airport Construction Corporation.
"Did we ask for you to build an airport? If you disrupt the lives of the citizens who are living well, you should at least let us know where we will relocate and prepare for it." Kim, who was lamenting for a long time to a reporter she was meeting for the first time, eventually wiped away her tears with her sleeve.
On the morning of the 4th, Gadeokdo, which took a 40-minute drive from Gimhae International Airport, was not much different from an ordinary fishing village. Perhaps due to the hot weather, there were not many people outside. Only a few cars occasionally passed by. However, as the atmosphere changed while heading toward Daehang Village, where the new airport will be built, there were banners criticizing the construction of Gadeokdo International Airport or demanding relocation measures, as well as advertisements from tax companies offering consultation for compensation.
The expressions of the residents of Daehang Village revealed their 'anxiety.' As news from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the construction industry about the preparation for the Gadeokdo International Airport site development project became more vocal, concerns grew that relocation measures for residents were being sidelined. A total of 672 residents must relocate due to the airport construction. Residents from three villages, including Daehang, Saebaji, and Oehaengpo in Gadeokdo, are facing relocation.
Residents expressed anxiety as the corporation in charge of relocation measures did not provide definitive answers. Some residents worried, "Aren't we just going to be kicked out after receiving the relocation policy payment of 24 million won?" According to Article 78 of the Land Compensation Act, the project implementer (the corporation) can choose to establish relocation measures that provide dwellings and land or to pay relocation settlement funds. The maximum relocation settlement fund is 24 million won.
Kim Young-seok, head of the Daehang Fishing Village Association, said, "Although we have been meeting with the corporation for two years, there has been no mention of relocation measures. Among the residents, there are discussions that they might just give the relocation settlement money and end it."
The corporation plans to send out a relocation measures notification to residents as early as the end of September. Approximately 200 households among the residents wish to relocate to secured single-family housing sites in Eco-Delta City, and the plan is to complete relocation negotiations by the end of the year. This site, owned by the Water Resources Corporation, has seen some delays due to disagreements over the purchase price. The corporation has decided to secure the site at an appraised price of 4.65 million won per 3.3 square meters (pyeong). An average site of 264 square meters (80 pyeong) will be provided per household. If all goes as planned, the corporation will request about 74.4 billion won from the Ministry of Economy and Finance for relocation costs to Eco-Delta City.
The corporation's compensation team representative stated, "It is absolutely impossible that residents will only be given 24 million won in relocation policy funds, and it will definitely be a method of providing land in some way."
Opinions were divided regarding the land compensation recently notified to residents last month. It is common for land compensation in development projects to be met with resident dissatisfaction; however, in Gadeokdo, there have been claims that the official land prices have not increased due to over 20 years of airport construction discussions and that compensation was uniformly applied regardless of location. According to the corporation, over 200 residents have applied for administrative decision review, effectively requesting re-evaluation. On the 3rd, residents held a rally in front of the Daehang Breakwater to demand relocation measures and protest the compensation.
One resident who applied for the administrative decision review said, "Most of the residents who are being compensated were not originally people who wanted to sell their land or dwellings. Therefore, there is bound to be a lot of dissatisfaction." They also mentioned, "Many have been appraised at unreasonably low prices compared to market rates, leading to a bad atmosphere."
The Gadeokdo International Airport Daehang District Compensation Policy Committee (the committee) pointed out that confusion has increased because the initial basic plan from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport did not include relocation measures. A look at the basic plan report for the Gadeokdo International Airport construction project prepared by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in September 2023 reveals that the resident relocation plan and compensation details can be found in none of the sections. However, the comprehensive report from the research service on the feasibility evaluation and basic plan formulation for Jeju 2nd Airport published by the same ministry in March of the same year contains detailed cases of land compensation and relocation measures from previously undertaken national projects. Plans for regional development and co-prosperity alone amount to 46 pages, with relocation measures and compensation included as part of it.
Moon Tae-jin, the committee's secretary general, stated, "Typically, the basic plan should include relocation measures, livelihood measures, resident support measures, and noise measures, but these have been omitted from the Gadeokdo International Airport basic plan. We are demanding that these be formalized in the subsequent implementation plan to be established after the basic plan."
Busan City announced a comprehensive plan for the Gadeokdo airport complex city in August last year. The airport complex city will be developed over three areas, including Nulcha, Dumun, and Cheonseong, covering approximately 9.89 million square meters. The Nulcha area will include logistics facilities, while the Cheonseong area will host tourism and leisure facilities utilizing natural scenery. The Dumun area will be developed into a renewable energy hub. This plan captures the so-called 'wishes of Busan citizens.'
A member of the National Assembly who participated in the establishment of the special law in 2021 stated, "Discussing compensation issues at this point, just before the re-tendering for the site development, obscures the essence. Compensation is not a matter that should be given significant weight in the Gadeokdo International Airport construction project."
As of December 2023, the population of Gadeokdo is 4,329. There are 2,687 households, with an average age of 68. A resident from Daehang Village said, "It will be difficult for the government to proceed with the fishing and land compensation or relocation measures at the desired speed. Residents think that it might take at least 10 years until the new airport is completed." They added, "By that time, more than half of the residents will likely have passed away. I hope the relocation measures are finalized quickly."