Dignitaries, including President Koo Bon-hwanof Incheon International Airport Corp. (IIAC), clap as they attended a ceremony to declare “Incheon International Airport Vision 2030” on Sept. 2. (Photos: IIAC)

President Koo Bon-hwan of Incheon International Airport Corp. (IIAC)

Incheon International Airport targets a goal of becoming the global No. 1 airport, surpassing Hong Kong International Airport and Heathrow Airport. If the vision is realized, it will create more than 1 million jobs.

Incheon International Airport Corp. (IIAC) held a ceremony to declare “Incheon International Airport Vision 2030” on Sept. 2. The vision calls for Incheon International Airport being catapulted to the global No. 1 airport by 2030. 

 IIAC President Koo Bon-hwan said at the event, “Under the catchphrase of a leading value creator in the global airport industry, Incheon International Airport to rise to the No. 1 position in terms of ATU standards – a global airport group posting 5 trillion won in sales by 2030.”

Air transport movement (ATM) is an index of each airport’s air transport capabilities, evaluated by Aviation Council International, the only global trade representative of the world's airport authorities. Currently, Incheon International Airport ranks 5th.

The airport attracted 68 million visitors and chalked up 2.65 trillion won in sales last year. If Incheon International Airport rises to the global No. 1 position, the airport will have to double sales and visitors.

The airport revealed a vision of logging 5 trillion won in sales and achieving a target of attracting 120 million visitors. The vision may be construed as the airport’s bid to achieve unmatched supremacy in a race to become a global hub airport among its neighbor country airports, including Singapore Changi Airport and Beijing Daxing International Airport.

IIAC also implements a mid- and long-term plan to create a Korean version of the Silicon Valley to nurture 100 startups and innovate the operation of the airport by converging the industries of the 4th Industrial Revolution such as AI.

In particular, IIAC looks to reduce departure process from current 45 minutes to 25 minutes by 2030 by expanding smart departure services in collaboration with related authorities.

IIAC President Koo said, “We’ll strive to make Incheon International Airport a global top, unmatched airport and develop the economic sphere of the airport as Korea’s new growth engine now that airports around the world compete for aviation leadership.”

Making Incheon Int’l Airport Unrivalled

Newly inaugurated Incheon International Airport Corp. (IIAC) President Koo Bon-hwan said he will devote himself to making the Incheon an unmatched global airport.

He made the remarks at his inauguration ceremony as the eighth IIAC president at the airport on April 16. He revealed a plan to develop Incheon International Airport into a G3 airport, contributing to aviation, tourism, logistics and convergence economy by building an Incheon International Airport economic sphere covering Yeongjong Island, Songdo and Gangwha Island.

President Koo revealed as management tasks the stable operation of the airport and innovative growth, securing new growth centers through the creation of the Incheon International Airport Economic Sphere; creating a new industry ecosystem of shared growth among aviation industries; and expanding human-oriented management and social values.

He unveiled a plan to develop Incheon International Airport into a mega hub, attracting more than 100 million passengers annually.

President Koo said, “with the recent globalization of economic activities and high-tech oriented industrial restructuring, the airport industry is changing into an unmatched airport.”

With the implementation of the fourth phase of construction at the international airport , he said his corporation will secure enough infrastructure to attract more than 100 million passengers annually by 2023 and transform the airport into one unmatched by its rivals by building the airport as Korea’s representative economic sphere.

Of late, the airport industry’s paradigm is shifting from a G1 airport focusing on passengers and cargo into a G3 one of global trade and production center, as well as aviation, tourism, logistics, and smart convergence economic sphere.

That’s beyond a G2 airport with hotels, resorts and logistics areas.