South Korea plans to build new airport on southeastern coast by 2028

South Korea is planning to build a new airport on the southeastern coast by 2028 to serve both civilian and military aircrafts, Pulse News has reported.

The news comes as Gunwi and Uiseonin counties in the North Gyeongsang Province reached an agreement for a new airport to replace the 59-year-old Daegu Airport. The counties are expected to jointly host the new airport.

South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense is expected to officially announce the two candidates in a committee meeting next month.

The proposed airport will have a 3.2km-long runway to service mid to long-haul international flights.

According to the publication, the defence ministry and transport ministry will discuss a plan to build two separate runways to serve military and commercial aircraft.

The passenger terminal for the international flights is expected to host ten million people annually.

The construction work for the new airport is expected to begin later this year after arranging a construction plan and measures to compensate nearby residents, as well as calculating the total cost.

Daegu International Airport, which opened in 1961, was on the site of the Air Force K2 base.

The government aims to turn around 25% of the K2 site into a residential area, 14.8%to industrial area, 6.7% commercial site and 53% infrastructure such as parks.