Official request to be made to MOLIT by 2022 for adequate construction space
Based on the premise that Daegu’s next 50 years will be significantly affected by the existence of a new regional airport, Daegu Metropolitan City (DMC) will be requesting that the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT), which is responsible for overseeing the construction and operation of private airports, consider a plan for the new airport that includes plenty of space to ensure that the new airport can serve as a hub of Korea’s southern regions.
Bird's eye view
* This diagram, which was created by DMC, reflects the most recent plans for an expanded lot (section in red). The size and location of the expanded section may change.
According to DMC, a Daegu-Gyeongbuk airport would make it much easier to travel overseas or to process air cargo and is expected to be used not only by residents of Daegu/Gyeongsangbuk-do but also of the entire southeastern region (Busan, Ulsan, Gyeongsang Provinces) as well as the Chungcheong and Gangwon provinces (until the completion of Gadeok-do International Airport). Under these circumstances, as of 2035, 14.2% of international flight passengers (approx. 20 million (as of 2060, 28.87 million)) and 25.1% of international air cargo (1.48 million tons (as of 2060, 1.97 million tons)) is expected to be processed through the Daegu-Gyeongbuk airport.
※ 17.7% of Incheon International Airport’s expected demand (in 2035) for international flights (113.08 million), 27.1% of expected international air cargo (5.45 million tons)
DMC, based on the belief that all of these anticipated figures are only viable with sufficiently-sized airport facilities, will be asking MOLIT (which is currently conducting a pre-feasibility inspection) to reflect in its plan enough space for the landing strip, docks, and the cargo/passenger terminals.
1. Landing strip that is 3,800 meters long and can accommodate over 50 planes per hour
In Korea, a landing strip’s length must, in accordance with the “Guidelines on the Installation of Airfields and/or Airports and Takeoff/Landing Facilities,” reflect the maximum take-off weight of each airline’s plane types as well as the height and temperature of the landing strip’s location and its longitudinal slope. To follow all of these regulations, the landing strip will have to be approximately 3,800 meters long.
According to the basic plan for the Daegu-Gyeongbuk airport announced by DMC on August 18, the landing strip for the airport is expected to be constructed as a parallel runway.
In the event that the airport has a rapid exit taxiway, enough stand-by spaces, and an adequately-sized aircraft stand, it will be able to accommodate over 50 planes (private or military, ascending or landing) per hour.
The most obvious limitation is the fact that it is an airport for both civilian and military aircraft and that, therefore, both types of aircraft have to share a landing strip. Because of this, it is expected that one landing strip will not be enough to accommodate all planes from approximately 2045 and that, after 2035, a civilian plane-exclusive landing strip will have to be constructed.
2. 57 docks necessary for smooth processing of planes during peak traffic hours
Based on anticipated air traffic demand, the new airport will have to be able to accommodate at least 37 takeoffs (in peak hours) by 2060. Considering this figure, the amount of time that can be expected of a plane to standby, and airport use rates, DMC expects that there will need to be 53 docks for passenger planes and four for cargo planes.
3. Need for passenger/cargo terminals that are on par with a competitive regional hub airport
As a passenger terminal needs enough space (45㎡) per-person during peak hours, based on anticipated demand (at peak times, etc.), the terminal has been designed in two parts: a flight use facility (immigration processing, standby facilities, etc.) and a flight management facility (airline offices, CIQ (Customs, Immigration, Quarantine), etc.). When considering the need for an Urban Air Mobility (inner-city airport facility), which is expected to be commercialized in Korea in 2030; vertiport (transfer center that offers diverse modes of transportation to the airport); disaster response center (e.g. infectious diseases); and facilities for conventions/expos and cultural needs, DMC anticipates that, from 2060, 533,000㎡ (50.2% of equivalent facility at Incheon International Airport) will be required.
For the cargo terminal, based on anticipated cargo volume (by 2060, total of 1.99 million tons) and mandatory regulations, a space of approximately 211,000㎡ (67.6% of equivalent facility at Incheon International Airport) is expected to be required.
4. Proposal for shift in national aviation policy
DMC, based on the belief that the current, uni-polar Incheon International Airport system will become increasingly unable to respond to extraordinary/disaster situations and to expedite balanced regional development, decided to propose a shift to a two-airport (Incheon and Daegu-Gyeongbuk) or a four-airport system (Incheon, Daegu-Gyeongbuk, Gadeok-do, Muan) and for such shift to be reflected in national policy, such as inclusion in the 4th Aviation Policy Basic Plan (which will be published in 2025).
Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo said, “I am confident that the new Daegu-Gyeongbuk airport, which will be completed in 2030, will become a key airport of central southern region of Korea, especially after the addition of an extra civilian plane landing strip in 2035. A restructuring of the foundations of Korea’s aviation policy will give us an opportunity to make the airport responsive to a number of unexpected situations and a ‘biz port’ that is a pillar of the local economy. In this way, I hope that the new airport can be a leading figure of balanced regional development in Korea.”
