Gwangju Metropolitan City's military and civilian airports will be integrated and transferred to Muan International Airport. It comes nine years after the Ministry of National Defense's assessment concluded that the transfer is warranted.
A six-party consultative body involving Gwangju Metropolitan City, South Jeolla Province, Muan County, the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport agreed on the 17th to this plan. In line with the opening of the Honam KTX line at the end of 2027, the civilian airport functions will first be transferred to Muan International Airport. The military airport will also be moved in stages.
The government and Gwangju Metropolitan City decided to provide a total of 1 trillion won in support for regional development and resident assistance in line with the military airport transfer.
The agreement also includes a plan to name Muan International Airport "Kim Dae-jung Airport." If the name is confirmed, it will open as the first airport in Korea named after a historical figure.
Former President Kim Dae-jung, who was from Sinan County adjacent to Muan County, served as the 15th president from 1998 to 2003 and received the 2000 Nobel Peace Prize for contributing to the establishment of peace between the two Koreas and the advancement of democracy and human rights.