Incheon’s local community is mounting a strong backlash against government plans to consolidate airport authorities.
At a forum held at Incheon City Hall on April 23—titled “Diagnosing Airport Corporation Consolidation Issues and Strengthening Incheon International Airport’s Competitiveness”—experts said that although the government frames consolidation as a way to reduce fiscal burdens and streamline air routes, it could actually undermine Incheon Airport’s competitiveness.
The forum was organized by the Broad Citizens’ Movement to Defend Incheon and a joint Citizen-Labor Task Force, representing over 110 local organizations.
Yoon Han-young, a professor at Hanseo University, said, “The government’s stated rationale for consolidation is flawed,” warning that forcing Incheon Airport’s profits into loss-making regional airports risks undermining efficient allocation of resources.
Yoon Seok-jin, a research fellow at the Incheon Development Institute, emphasized Incheon Airport’s positive impact on the regional economy and urged a stronger strategy to develop an airport-centered economic zone.
Kim Dong-won, a professor at National Incheon University, criticized the government’s consolidation talks as lacking solid justification and said they make little sense from both managerial and administrative perspectives.
Cho Go-ho, executive director of the Yeongjong International City Federation, raised doubts about the proposed Gadeokdo airport’s economic viability and safety, calling for a comprehensive reassessment.
Heo In-moo, secretary-general of the Incheon International Airport Corporation Labor Union, warned that Incheon Airport’s hub function generates an annual economic value of 6 trillion KRW (about $4.5 billion) and said consolidation would shift that hub role to competing airports.
Kim Seong-woong, an opinion columnist at Kiho Ilbo, warned that merging airport corporations could destabilize Incheon’s economic structure and even reshape its political landscape.
Lee Han-nam, director of Incheon’s Maritime and Aviation Bureau, called the government’s consolidation plan a rushed restructuring. He said that if it proceeds unchanged, it would weaken national aviation competitiveness, reduce fiscal efficiency, and risk capital outflows from the region.
Kim Song-won, secretary-general of the Incheon Citizens’ Coalition for Economic Justice, said discussions to merge airport operators are already underway and urged the president to commit to a “one-port” policy that preserves Incheon Airport’s primacy.
The forum presented a range of proposals to strengthen Incheon International Airport’s competitiveness and sharpened critical scrutiny of the government’s consolidation push.
Incheon’s community fears the consolidation will harm the local economy and national aviation competitiveness, and it is calling on the government to conduct careful policy reviews and to establish objective evaluation criteria.
A mass rally of Incheon citizens at City Hall scheduled for May 10 will continue this opposition.
Incheon — Reporter Lee Chun-man lcm9504@viva100.com
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