South Korean airport operator Korea Airports has completed a KRW250bn ($222m) decade-long renovation of the domestic terminal at Gimpo International Airport located in Seoul.

This domestic terminal was constructed in 1980. The upgrade began in 2009 and has been carried out without impacting regular operations according to the airport authority.

Following the upgrade, the 88,443m² terminal is able to provide shorter baggage processing time of just five minutes, cutting previous waiting time by ten minutes.

There are 14 security checkpoints compared to ten before the upgrade, which can lead to shorter pre-flight screening lines.

Korea Airports acting CEO Kim Myung-woon was quoted by Yonhap news agency as saying: “We will do our utmost to provide the optimal service to meet steadily growing demand for domestic flights and the public’s rising expectations for aviation services.”

The upgrade project has also expanded the departure lounge, while the empty space near the waiting area on the first floor has been converted into an atrium.

The number of disabled toilets has been increased from eight to 37 and more lounges have been built to provide a comfortable environment.

Moving walkways have been installed with a combined length of 533m to bolster passenger convenience.

The fourth floor now features restaurants, while the rooftop will serve as an observatory, allowing passengers to view planes landing and taking off.

In 2017, around 68,500 passengers passed through Gimpo International Airport on an average every day.

Located in the south-western part of Seoul, it has been serving as the country’s main gateway for decades until Incheon International Airport opened in 2001. Incheon Airport diverted most of the international passenger traffic. Since then, Gimpo has served international travellers through five routes to China, Taiwan and Japan.