'Construction cost issue must be resolved'

'Busan mayor must step up'

People Power Party lawmakers representing Busan constituencies, including PPP Busan chapter Chairman Rep. Lee Sung-kwon, hold a press conference at the National Assembly on Monday over the construction cost increase for Gadeokdo New Airport. [Yonhap]
People Power Party lawmakers representing Busan constituencies, including PPP Busan chapter Chairman Rep. Lee Sung-kwon, hold a press conference at the National Assembly on Monday over the construction cost increase for Gadeokdo New Airport. [Yonhap]

People Power Party lawmakers from Busan questioned Monday whether the Lee Jae Myung government is genuinely committed to opening Gadeokdo New Airport on schedule.

PPP Busan chapter Chairman Rep. Lee Sung-kwon and 10 other Busan-area Assembly members held an emergency press conference at the National Assembly that day. Attendees included Reps. Kim Do-eup, Lee Heon-seung, Kim Hee-jeong, Park Soo-young, Baek Jong-heon, Kwak Gyu-taek, Seo Ji-young, Joo Jin-woo, Jeong Seong-guk and Park Sung-hoon.

"The Gadeokdo New Airport construction project stands at a critical crossroads over the issue of realistic construction costs," the lawmakers said, adding that the start of priority construction work is also expected to be delayed. "For the airport to open on time in 2035, the construction cost issue must be resolved without delay," they said. "What does the Lee Jae Myung government have to show for itself?"

The lawmakers also said government ministries had acknowledged the need to increase construction costs but wasted time passing the buck among themselves. "On top of that, they are now shifting responsibility onto the National Assembly by saying they will find a solution through special legislation on Gadeokdo New Airport," they said.

They argued the government could resolve the cost increase quickly by amending the enforcement decree of the State Contracts Act or the total project cost management guidelines. "We want to ask the Lee Jae Myung government: why does it push for speed — even mentioning guideline revisions — when it comes to relocating Gwangju's military airport for the Honam semiconductor cluster, yet fail to show the same drive for Gadeokdo New Airport?" they said.

The lawmakers also called on Busan city to take a more active role. "Gadeokdo New Airport is a core project on which Busan's future depends," they said, urging the city's mayor to personally engage on the construction cost increase.

They asked the mayor to work in step with Busan's Assembly members to persuade the Ministry of Planning and Budget and the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and to press the presidential office directly if necessary. "Rather than simply relaying the government's position and waiting, the mayor must persuade the government from the standpoint of Busan's citizens," they said.

The lawmakers added that if a project was promised as a national undertaking, the government must bear the corresponding responsibility. "The government must resolve the construction cost increase issue without delay, even now, by amending the enforcement decree of the State Contracts Act or the total project cost management guidelines," they said.


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