With the construction of Saemangeum International Airport halted by a court ruling canceling its master plan, attention is also turning to the trial over the Gadeokdo New Airport. In the case of the Gadeokdo New Airport, not only an administrative lawsuit but also a motion for a constitutional review of the law is pending. The main point is that the legislature selected the airport site by law, which the executive branch should have determined.
According to the construction industry on the 12th, the lawsuit to cancel the master plan for the Gadeokdo New Airport construction project, filed by about 1,000 members of the civic group Action Against the Promotion of the Gadeokdo New Airport, is heading into its fourth hearing on Nov. 26. The complaint, submitted to the court on Mar. 26 last year, states, "Gadeokdo New Airport is a region confirmed to be unsuitable as a site after receiving lower scores than Gimhae and Miryang in two site feasibility evaluations," adding, "Building a Southeast Region New Airport on Gadeokdo, which should be preserved for its natural environment and cultural value, shows that the master plan is unlawful in substance."
This administrative lawsuit was filed alongside a "motion for a constitutional review of the law" regarding the construction of the Gadeokdo New Airport. The main contention in the constitutional motion is that the National Assembly's decision of the airport site through the Gadeokdo New Airport Special Act violates the principles of equality and separation of powers. Because the executive branch (the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport) previously opposed pursuing the Gadeokdo New Airport by citing seven major reasons it was inappropriate, the civic group argues that the National Assembly's enactment of the Gadeokdo New Airport Act shows the airport construction was decided for political purposes.
The constitutional motion and administrative lawsuit over the Gadeokdo New Airport are expected to see a first-instance ruling in the middle to latter half of next year. If the constitutional motion is dismissed, the civic group plans to pursue a "constitutional complaint."
Choi Jae-hong, an attorney at Jayeon Law Firm representing the case, said, "It violates the principle of separation of powers that the legislative branch selected the airport site through the Gadeokdo New Airport Special Act for use in the Busan mayoral election."
The legal battle over the Gadeokdo New Airport is drawing heightened attention after the Seoul Administrative Court the previous day ruled to "cancel the master plan for the Saemangeum International Airport development project." In the Saemangeum International Airport administrative lawsuit, filed by 1,297 residents of areas including Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, against the Transport Ministry, the court pointed out that the risks of bird strikes and the tidal flat environment had not been adequately evaluated. The main background for canceling the master plan was that environmental factors were poorly reviewed.
The Gadeokdo New Airport, planned as an offshore airport, is also controversial due to a high likelihood of bird strikes. The Gadeokdo New Airport site is only about 7 km from the Nakdong River estuary, a representative migratory bird habitat. According to the Environment Ministry, the expected "annual number of damaging bird strikes (TPDS)" for Gadeokdo New Airport is 4.48 to 14.7, far higher than Muan Airport (0.06), where a major accident occurred due to a bird strike, as well as Gimpo International Airport (2.9) and Incheon International Airport (2.8). While lower than Saemangeum International Airport (45), some note that considering collisions with seabirds, the risk could be higher. Seabirds are larger and heavier than land birds and fly at higher altitudes, posing a greater threat to flight safety.
Construction of the Gadeokdo New Airport is also failing to gain momentum as all major builders seeking to participate in the new bidding have been caught up in safety accidents. At POSCO E&C and Daewoo E&C, and even at Lotte E&C, which had hoped to join the project, workers died at construction sites. As President Lee Jae-myung signaled a hard-line response to fatal industrial accidents, tension in the industry is rising. In a press conference marking the 100th day in office the previous day, Lee defined industrial accidents no longer as "bad luck on site" but as "structural crimes," indicating a policy stance of strengthening employer responsibility and penalties.
In the construction and aviation industries, criticism continues that too many new airports are being pursued relative to Korea's land area. Because most are driven by regional and political reasons, safety, economic feasibility, and environmental aspects have been poorly reviewed, and a full inspection is needed to check whether proper evaluations were conducted from the initial feasibility stage. There are 10 new airports under construction or in progress nationwide; if all are completed, Korea will have a total of 25 airports.
A professor of aviation studies who requested anonymity said, "The major disaster at Muan Airport shows the risks inherent in new airports driven by politics," adding, "Considering the massive tax money needed for airport construction, the economic feasibility and safety of airports must be thoroughly considered. There is a need to take a comprehensive second look at the new airport projects currently underway."