Busan civic groups urge prompt revision of Gadeok airport cost special law
In short
A coalition of about 200 Busan civic groups called on Oct. 6 for the prompt revision of a special law to make construction costs for the Gadeokdo New Airport site realistic. The group said the priority section must break ground this November to meet the government's 2035 opening target, and that international developments including the Middle East war have made cost realism the most urgent issue. It urged the government to fold basic-design-period cost increases into the total project cost and asked the ruling and opposition parties to pass the revision within this regular National Assembly session.
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A coalition of about 200 civic groups in Busan urged the prompt revision of a special law to make construction costs for the Gadeokdo New Airport site creation realistic, Yonhap reported. The group, the Busan Citizens' Movement Headquarters for the New Airport and Hub Carrier, made the call at a press conference in the Busan City Council briefing room on Oct. 6. Newsis also reported the demand in its headline. [ 1 , 2 ]
The group said Gadeok New Airport construction stands at a critical juncture, and that the priority construction section must break ground this November if the government's 2035 opening target is to be met. It said changes in the international situation this year, including the Middle East war, had pushed the construction cost issue to the top of the agenda. [ 2 ]
It called on the government to reflect cost increases arising during the basic design period in the total project cost while pursuing the special law revision at the same time. It also said the ruling and opposition parties must revise the Gadeokdo New Airport Construction Special Law within this regular National Assembly session to meet the 2035 opening target, or work toward an early opening through process innovation and concentrated resource input. [ 2 ]
Why it matters
The demand goes to whether a major regional infrastructure project in Busan can hold its stated 2035 opening schedule, which the group says depends on a November groundbreaking and on lawmakers amending the special law. Because the appeal comes from a civic coalition rather than a government body, the documents show advocacy pressure on the government and the National Assembly rather than a decision already taken.
Key facts
- The Busan Citizens' Movement Headquarters for the New Airport and Hub Carrier, made up of about 200 civic groups in Busan, called for the prompt revision of the special law on Gadeokdo New Airport site creation construction cost realism. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The group held a press conference at the Busan City Council briefing room on Oct. 6. [ 2 ]
- It said Gadeok New Airport construction stands at a critical juncture and that the priority construction section must break ground this November to meet the government's 2035 opening target. [ 2 ]
- The group said changes in the international situation this year, including the Middle East war, had made the construction cost issue the most urgent pending matter. [ 2 ]
- It called on the government to reflect cost increases arising during the basic design period in the total project cost while pursuing the special law revision at the same time. [ 2 ]
- It urged the ruling and opposition parties to revise the Gadeokdo New Airport Construction Special Law within this regular session, or to pursue early opening through process innovation and concentrated resource input. [ 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Whether the special law will be revised within the current regular National Assembly session. The documents report only the civic group's demand; no lawmaker or government position on the timing is given.
- The exact time the press conference took place. The documents say it was held on Oct. 6 but give no hour, so only the outlets' publication times can be placed on the timeline.
- Details of the civic group's statement beyond what Yonhap reported. The Newsis article text available for Oct. 6 concerns an unrelated parliamentary audit of the Supreme Court chief justice, so the coalition's specific claims rest on a single source.