Gadeok Island Airport

Gadeok Island Airport will serve Busan. The airport will be partly developed on an artificial island, making it South Korea's first artificial island airport. Gadeok Island Airport will exclusively handle international services while Busan Gimhae Airport will primarily handle domestic services following the opening of Gadeok Island Airport.

Jun-2024. Korea Airports Corporation reported it was selected as a construction information modelling (BIM) consignment agency.

May-2024. South Korea Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport inaugurated construction for the Gadeok Island Airport project on 31-May-2024.

Jan-2024. Gadeok Island Airport is on track to commence phase one development works by Dec-2024. The airport will require an estimated investment of KRW13.5 trillion (USD10.1 billion) to develop and is expected to open by Dec-2029. Details include:

• 3500m runway;
• 258,000sqm passenger terminal;
• 74 aircraft parking stands;
• Car park with capacity for 11,000 vehicles;
• Round the clock operations.

Nov-2023. South Korea's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) announced plans to establish a public corporation to execute the Gadeok Island Airport development project by 25-Apr-2024. The corporation will assume responsibility for implementing the new airport development project from MOLIT. 

Mar-2023. South Korea's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) announced Dec-2029 as the new deadline for the completion and commissioning of Gadeok Island Airport, accelerated from the previous deadline of Jun-2035. The new airport will serve Busan and the acceleration of the project is expected to aid South Korea's bid to host the 2030 World Expo in Busan. MOLIT aims to complete and release a draft basic plan for Gadeok Island Airport by the end of 2023 and commence development works in late 2024. The airport will be equipped with a 3500m runway and will require an estimated investment of KRW13.8 trillion (USD10.6 billion) to develop. 

Apr-2022. South Korea's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) completed the preliminary feasibility survey process for the development of a new airport on Gadeok Island to serve Busan. According to MOLIT's preliminary report, Gadeok Island Airport will be partly developed on an artificial island, making it South Korea's first artificial island airport. It will be equipped with a 3500m runway and require an estimated investment of KRW13.7 trillion (USD10.9 billion) to develop, with works tentatively expected to commence in 2025 and be completed by Jun-2035. Gadeok Island Airport will exclusively handle international services and is forecast to accommodate up to 23.4 million passengers and 286,000 tons of cargo p/a by 2065. Busan Gimhae Airport will primarily handle domestic services following the opening of Gadeok Island Airport.

Mar-2021. South Korea's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) commenced the preliminary feasibility survey process for the development of a new airport on Gadeok Island to serve Busan. MOLIT confirmed the permanent suspension of all efforts on the existing New Busan Airport development project, including a planned environmental impact assessment, as the Gadeok Island project will now be the only new airport development project in Busan. MOLIT expects the feasibility survey process to be completed by Mar-2022.

Jun-2016. South Korea Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced the decision to expand Busan Gimhae Airport instead of constructing a new airport at either Busan or Miryang. The decision was based on a feasibility study byADP Ingénierie (ADPi). ADPi senior engineer Jean-Marie Chevallier stated the study considered all aspects from scratch rather than comparing between the two proposed site.