The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has not been able to determine the re-bidding schedule for the Gadeokdo new airport site development project. Although discussions are ongoing with advisory committees and private construction companies, many variables are causing concern. The construction companies are taking a firm stance on the construction period, and there are calls within the ruling party to revise the basic plan for the Gadeokdo new airport from the beginning. Moreover, it remains uncertain what position the Minister nominee Kim Yun-deok will take after his formal appointment.
According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the construction industry on the 25th, it has become difficult to predict the re-bidding schedule after the contract with the Hyundai E&C consortium, which was the preferred negotiator for the Gadeokdo new airport site development project, was suspended last month. The construction industry is anticipating a timeline in late August or early September; however, the ministry has yet to confirm the date.
Joo Jong-wan, head of the aviation policy office at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, noted, 'We are currently listening to a lot of opinions from the construction industry,' adding, 'We can only proceed with the re-bidding once a normalization plan is confirmed.'
It has been found that the construction companies within the consortium are insisting on the originally proposed construction period of 108 months by Hyundai E&C. They have taken a strong stance of 'not participating' if the re-bidding proceeds with the previously suggested period of '84 months' by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. It has been reported that they also find it difficult to accept an intermediate period of 96 months.
A representative from a large construction company stated, 'The 84 months mentioned by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is a period that cannot guarantee safety at all,' adding, 'The existing proposal of 108 months from the consortium must be maintained to secure at least a minimum level of safety, including the erosion period.'
The site development construction costs are expected to rise, taking into account inflation. Initially estimated at 10.53 trillion won, it is anticipated to increase by up to 300 billion won, according to industry reports. If the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport conducts a re-bid, Daewoo E&C is expected to lead as the primary contractor, with significant equity held by POSCO and another large construction company that will join. Candidates for participating construction companies include Hanwha and Lotte Engineering & Construction.
The calls within the ruling Democratic Party of Korea to 're-examine the basic plan for the Gadeokdo new airport' are also background factors for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's reluctance to set the re-bidding schedule. On the 8th, Kim Jong-ho, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea (elected from the Gimhae district), submitted a proposal to the Presidential Committee on Policy Planning to completely revise the basic plan for the Gadeokdo new airport. It is understood that Kim Jong-ho, who has participated in the Southeast Region Airport concept since the Roh Moo-hyun administration, made this stance as concerns about the safety issues of the Gadeokdo new airport have recently come to light.
The proposal submitted by Kim includes a request to change the runway direction to the open sea and to arrange two runways capable of independent instrument takeoffs and landings. It also contains a suggestion to shift from the previously used vertical drainage (PBD) method to dredging and replacement methods.
Kim believes that although the open sea side has a strong current, the thickness and sediment amount of the weak foundation are less than those on the inland side, so if the runway direction and methods are changed at the same time, the construction period can be shortened. The PBD method requires 18 months for stabilization by inserting plastic boards into the clay layers of the weak foundation to promote drainage. On the other hand, he argues that if the excavated soil from the Gadeokdo mountains and dredged clay are disposed of simultaneously, the stabilization period can be reduced to 1 to 3 months.
A representative from Kim's office stated, 'In a broad sense, we hope that the Gadeokdo new airport will be properly advanced,' and noted, 'To fulfill the role of a gateway airport, we believe it is necessary to extend the runway.'
However, there is also opposition from within the party. Choi In-ho, former member of the Democratic Party of Korea and chairman of the Busan City Party's Special Committee on Government Evaluation Alternatives, held a press conference on the 16th at the Busan City Council, stating, 'The argument that we need to start over with the basic plan for the Gadeokdo new airport is a proposition that would delay construction for several years and is absolutely unacceptable.' He added, 'If issues such as construction cost increases arise during the basic plan review process, there is a possibility that the project could be completely scrapped.'
If the Presidential Committee on Policy Planning adopts the proposal submitted by Kim as a national agenda, the 'Gadeokdo new airport site construction' will likely be delayed for a considerable period. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport estimates that it will take at least six months to draft a new basic plan. The timeline for the committee to finalize its national agenda is still undetermined.
The intentions of the newly appointed Minister of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport regarding the construction of the 'Gadeokdo new airport' must also be taken into account. Kim Yun-deok, a three-term veteran lawmaker from the Democratic Party of Korea, has been nominated for the minister position. Kim Yun-deok is set to face a confirmation hearing on the 29th. Industry insiders anticipate that questions and answers regarding the advancement of the Gadeokdo new airport will take place at that session.
There is a prevailing belief among the public that the construction of the 'Gadeokdo new airport' will naturally proceed since President Lee Jae-myung promised its establishment as part of his election commitments. However, due to calls within the Democratic Party of Korea for a review of the basic plan and persistent concerns about location and safety, it is uncertain what the outcome will be. Among experts, many opinions point to the 'Gimhae Airport expansion plan,' verified by Aéroport de Paris Ingenierie (ADPi) in June 2016, as the optimal solution.
Yoo Jeong-hoon, a professor in the Department of Transportation Systems Engineering at Ajou University and president of the Korean Society of Transportation, stated, 'Although over 10 trillion won is expected to be invested in the Gadeokdo new airport site development project, there are many concerns regarding potential variables during construction and the actual capability to operate it properly after opening, given the location. Now that there is a situation of reviewing the bidding, how about initiating a public discussion on the 'Gadeokdo new airport basic plan review' along with the 'Gimhae Airport expansion plan' that has already passed the preliminary feasibility study?'