Dignitaries attend a ceremony to launch Incheon International Airport’s second passenger terminal project on Sept. 26

President Jung Chang-soo of Incheon International Airport Corp. (IIAC) speaks at the event. 

Incheon International Airport’s second passenger terminal project to cope with rising numbers of flight passengers was launched with a ground-breaking ceremony on Sept. 26

Among the roughly 1,000 people on hand at the ground-breaking ceremony were Prime Minister Chung Hong-won; Vice Minister for Transport Yeo Hyung-ku; and President Jung Chang-soo of Incheon International Airport Corp. (IIAC).

Prime Minister Chung said in his commemorative speech, “Incheon International Airport is expected to raise its global standing as a hub airport further in both Northeast Asia and in the world, thus contributing to reinvigorating the Korean economy.” He went on to say that the third phase expansion project of the airport will be a worthwhile example of the creative economy that would create some 93,000 new jobs and have economic effects worth 17 trillion won.

Stressing the fact that the project will likely be a great boon for the nation to host the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, a global sports extravaganza, the prime minister urged the officials in charge of construction to maintain top quality and ensure the prevention of safety accidents with an extraordinary sense of mission.

 Prime Minister Chung Hong-won delivers his commemorative speech at the event

Incheon International Airport has seen its flight passengers rise an annual average of over 6 percent since its debut on March 29, 2001. IIAC completed the 2nd phase expansion project calling for the construction of a boarding structure and a third runway in June 2008 to cope with rising demand, said Chang Young-soo, director general in charge of aviation policy at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT).

The 2nd Passenger Terminal Project is a key part of the third phase expansion project. The third phase expansion project calls for the construction of essential facilities to meet a constant rise in passengers, which is forecast to saturate around 2017, said  an official of the IIAC Airport Planning Team at the Port Policy Division of the MOLIT. The third phase project also calls for the construction of an 8.5 km-long railway connecting Passenger Terminal I and Passenger Terminal II as well as the building of 56 more passenger apron areas and 21 more freight apron areas. 

If and when the third phase project is completed as planned, Incheon Internat-ional Airport will be capable of handling 62 million passengers, 18 million more than the current capacity, as well as 5.8 million tons of freight, 1.3 million tons more than now. The airport will have a total of 164 passenger flight apron areas, 56 more than the current level, as well as 57 freight aircraft apron areas, 21 more than now.

The third phase expansion project will cost a combined 4.93 trillion won, including 2.2 trillion won for the construction of the second passenger terminal. 

Asian countries are now exploring strategies to build hub airports, which will have far-reaching economic spillover effects. They are vying for an advantage in the Asian aviation market by expanding airport infrastructure.