The government has decided to start construction of the Busan Gadeokdo New Airport next year and open it by December 2029, before the ‘2030 Busan World Expo (Expo)’ is held. The date of opening the port has been moved up by 5 years and 6 months from 2035, which was announced last year. It is said that the construction period can be shortened by changing the construction method, airport layout, and business method, but it is difficult to shake off anxiety regarding whether it is okay.
The biggest difference from the pre-feasibility study in April last year is the airport layout plan. At the time, it was completely offshore reclamation, but this time, in order to shorten the construction period, they said they would minimize the landfill area and build it across land and sea. Air was originally reduced from 9 years and 8 months to regarding 5 years. Compared to past cases such as the Incheon International Airport phase 1 project, which took nine years, it can be said that it is an unprecedented speed battle.
If safety is guaranteed, there is no reason to refuse to change the construction plan or shorten the construction period. However, it is not surprising that the government’s judgment has changed in just one year. The land and sea landfill method was not adopted last year due to safety concerns. At the time, there were concerns regarding differential subsidence, in which the ground subsides unevenly due to uneven bearing capacity. There will be many variables in the actual construction process from the compensation stage, but it is questionable whether it is realistic to reduce the construction period by half.
The new airport construction roadmap released this time has such a tight schedule that even the researchers in charge of the service called it a ‘challenging task’. Of course, it would be nice if the airport was completed before the expo was held, but it might lead to poor construction or safety accidents if the opening schedule is set and pushed for time. It is necessary to thoroughly check whether there are any irrational measures in the planning process scheduled for August and the ensuing design process. The top priority in airport construction is safety. It should not be forgotten that the original purpose of the new airport project, in which 13.7 trillion won in blood tax was invested, was not to attract the expo, but to be a ’24-hour safe southern gateway airport’.