Incheon’s Yeongjong-gu District (Mayor Son Hwa-jeong) has come out in direct opposition to discussions on merging the airport corporation that operates Incheon International Airport. In a statement released on July 7, Yeongjong-gu Mayor Son Hwa-jeong made clear her deep concern and strong opposition to recent proposals in some quarters to merge the airport corporation and disperse its functions. The move draws attention as Son, who took office as the district’s first mayor on July 1, publicly voiced her opposition on the airport issue — the district’s biggest agenda item — immediately after taking office.
 [The Korean Today] Yeongjong-gu Mayor Son Hwa-jeong announcing her opposition to the Incheon Airport merger © Reporter Kim Mi-hee |
Son defined Incheon Airport as “a national core public infrastructure that serves as the gateway to the Republic of Korea and drives the aviation, logistics and tourism industries as well as regional economic development.” She added, “Yeongjong in particular is a community of shared destiny that has achieved mutual growth and development together with Incheon Airport,” stressing that the airport’s operation and development have had a profound impact on residents’ livelihoods and the local economy. “So that Incheon Airport, which has had a profound impact on residents’ livelihoods and the local economy, becomes a cornerstone for the development of Yeongjong, Incheon and the Republic of Korea, I as Yeongjong-gu mayor strongly oppose the merger,” she said, presenting three grounds for her opposition.
As her first ground, she cited securing an advantage in the competition among “global mega airports.” With China’s Pudong Airport and Japan’s Haneda and Narita airports leveraging massive capital to threaten Incheon Airport’s hub status, an inefficient integration among domestic airports could dismantle the advanced expertise and independent decision-making system that Incheon Airport has built up, undermining its competitiveness as a global hub, she argued. Her assessment is that, at a time when countries around the world are competing to nurture large airports, integration discussions could instead weaken national competitiveness.
Second, she voiced concern over the loss of growth momentum for the so-called “Incheon Airport Economic Zone.” Son sees Yeongjong’s top priority as completing the area around Incheon Airport into a “global airport economic zone” combining bio, logistics, and tourism and leisure, and pointed out that now is not the time to discuss a merger. In her judgment, halting this future growth engine would inflict irrecoverable losses not only on Yeongjong-gu but on Incheon and, further, on the entire economy of the Republic of Korea.
As her third ground, she pointed to the sacrifice and contribution of Yeongjong-gu’s 140,000 residents. Behind Incheon Airport’s growth into a world-class hub airport, she said, lay the dedication of residents who have quietly endured numerous inconveniences, including aircraft noise, various environmental problems, and development restrictions arising from height limits. Son held that a unilateral merger decision could amount to disregarding the blood and sweat of these residents.
Son also warned of the conflict that could arise if regional distinctiveness is excluded from the policy process. “If policy is pushed solely on financial logic without considering regional distinctiveness, it could bring about nothing but massive conflict without gaining the consent of residents and citizens,” she said. “The relevant authorities must listen to the voices on the ground and the opinions of experts and make a wise decision for the national interest.”
Son also made clear that this opposition is not merely a statement of position. “As Yeongjong-gu mayor, I am actively conveying my clear position of opposition to the government and the National Assembly through various channels,” she said. The statement also noted that the political sphere, including Incheon Mayor Park Chan-dae and lawmakers Song Young-gil and Chung Il-young, along with local elders, are voicing support for Yeongjong’s stance. “As the owners of Yeongjong are its residents, I will act together with the 140,000 residents until Yeongjong stands tall as the world’s best aviation-centered city,” Son emphasized.
[ Reporter Kim Mi-hee: incheonsouth@thekoreantoday.com ]
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