Project cost surge from 201.8 billion won to 391.3 billion won prolongs re-examination

2030 opening target at risk of slipping to 2033 or later

Residents of five West Sea islands face persistent transport and medical access gaps

Council presses government to complete review, secure funding and begin follow-up steps

Members of the Ongjin-gun Council in Incheon speak out Monday against delays in the Baengnyeong Airport construction project. [Ongjin-gun Council]
Members of the Ongjin-gun Council in Incheon speak out Monday against delays in the Baengnyeong Airport construction project. [Ongjin-gun Council]

The Ongjin-gun Council in Incheon has sharply criticized delays in the Baengnyeong Airport construction project, urging the government to complete a prolonged feasibility re-examination and break ground as soon as possible.

The council said the re-examination — triggered by a sharp rise in the project's total cost — has dragged on so long that the originally announced 2030 opening target is now at risk.

Council members adopted a resolution Monday condemning the construction delays, saying the project can no longer be put off if residents of Baengnyeongdo and the other four West Sea islands are to see improved transport conditions and a stronger foundation for permanent settlement.

The resolution described the airport as critical infrastructure needed to guarantee islanders' freedom of movement and access to medical care.

Baengnyeongdo sits at the northernmost tip of the West Sea and serves as a key security outpost, yet the island's only practical link to the mainland is by passenger ferry. When bad weather halts sailings, residents and visitors face severe restrictions on movement.

The situation is particularly acute for medical emergencies: rapid evacuation to the mainland is often impossible, leaving a recurring gap in emergency care.

Ferry suspensions also affect daily life beyond transport, dampening tourist arrivals and hurting local businesses.

For these reasons, the council said it regards the airport not merely as a transport facility but as national infrastructure essential to protecting residents' lives and safety.

The concern now is that the project timeline is falling further behind schedule.

The Baengnyeong Airport project passed a preliminary feasibility study in December 2022, but an upgrade in the airport's rating pushed the total project cost from about 201.8 billion won ($151 million) to 391.3 billion won. A formal feasibility re-examination has been under way since November 2024.

Results were expected earlier but have been postponed several times, with the announcement now pushed back to the end of this year.

If delays continue, the opening target could slip from 2030 to 2033 or later, according to projections raised by the council.

The council said every additional month of delay prolongs the transport and medical hardships borne by residents at the northernmost edge of the West Sea.

It argued that because the five West Sea islands serve as a frontline in national security and maritime territorial defense, improving living conditions for border-area residents should not be treated as a matter of economic feasibility alone.

The council called on the Ministry of Planning and Budget and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to complete the feasibility re-examination within the year and immediately begin follow-up steps, including drawing up a master plan.

It also urged the government to resolve outstanding administrative procedures — including a strategic environmental impact assessment — wrap up consultations with relevant agencies and secure the funding needed to move the project forward.

The resolution further called on the government to recognize Baengnyeong Airport as a core project for protecting residents' lives and safety, guaranteeing freedom of movement and promoting balanced national development, and to demonstrate a firm commitment to seeing it through.

The council also asked Incheon city and the central government to draw up a comprehensive development plan to jointly expand transport, medical, tourism and residential infrastructure across the five West Sea islands.

Lawmaker Lee Eui-myeong said the airport represents both a long-held aspiration of residents at the northernmost reaches of the West Sea and a source of hope for the region's future.

Lee urged the government to take an active and responsible role in advancing the project so that residents' lives and safety are protected and all citizens, regardless of where they live, can enjoy equal opportunities.

The council plans to deliver the resolution to the relevant authorities and continue pressing for the swift advancement of the Baengnyeong Airport project.


gilbert@heraldcorp.com