▲ The area around the port in Gadeokdo-dong, Gangseo-gu, Busan
As the government's plan for the new airport in Gimhae has been virtually in the process of being eliminated, interest in legal procedures, including alternatives, is drawing.
After the Gimhae New Airport Verification Committee announced the'review conclusion' yesterday (17th), Gadeokdo New Airport is being discussed in earnest as an alternative, but inside the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the ministry in charge, it is voiced that it will be difficult to go directly to the Gadeokdo New Airport.
An official from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said, "It is difficult as of the current state. The principle (related to the location of the new airport) should go back to the beginning as the ruling party strongly pushes Gadeokdo Island to the new airport site, so there is a possibility to skip the search for a candidate site. "I said.
The official said, "Under current laws and regulations, in principle, the procedure is to be carried out from the beginning. However, if a special law related to the new airport is enacted, it will be possible to move within the prescribed laws."
From the perspective of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, it is difficult to immediately adopt the Gadeokdo plan, ignoring the principles and procedures set by the current law.
On the other hand, the ruling Democratic Party, the Gimhae New Airport project, is in the mood to promote the construction of a new airport on Gadeok Island in earnest.
In fact, the Democratic Party announced that it would propose a new airport special law on Gadeokdo Island after the official announcement by the Verification Committee and form the Southeast New Airport Promotion Team.
In contrast, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is taking a prudent attitude.
This is because the procedural flaw that the Prime Minister's Office Verification Committee concluded on the review of the Gimhae New Airport Plan was a procedural defect that it did not discuss the removal of mountain obstacles with the relevant local government.
In addition, for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, opposition from other local governments such as Daegu and Gyeongbuk should be considered.
However, the '6th Comprehensive Airport Development Plan' by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, which will be finalized within the next month, is expected to include information related to the new airport in the Southeast region in some form.
If the relevant details are not included in this plan, which is established every five years, the plan for the construction of a new airport in the Southeast region, whether in Gimhae or Gadeokdo, is likely to drift for years to come.
It is reported that the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is currently struggling to come up with details regarding the follow-up procedure.
Another official from the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs said, "The report presented by the Verification Committee is more than 300 pages long," and said, "We must decide on a position while reviewing each and every purpose of the report.
He added, “The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will respect the conclusions of the Verification Committee as much as possible and prepare follow-up procedures in consultation with related agencies such as the Prime Minister's Office.”
(Photo = Yonhap News)