Ulleung islanders question runway safety as airport nears completion

ULLEUNG ISLAND, North Gyeongsang Province — A state-run airport construction project on Ulleung Island has reached nearly 70 percent completion this month, but is facing strong local opposition to its current design. Some local residents are concerned that the coastal airport’s 1,200-meter runway is too short to ensure flight safety, urging the government to extend the structure — whose underwater foundation, built 30 meters below sea level, has already been completed. However, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has rejected the demand, calling it unnecessary. The islanders initially welcomed the project when the airport was categorized as a “2C” facility — a classification under the International Civil Aviation Organization standards and domestic aviation law set by the ministry, which requires a minimum runway length of 800 to 1,200 meters and limits operations to aircraft with wingspans between 24 and 36 meters. However, three years after construction began in 2020, the ministry reclassified the airport as a “3C” facility, which requires a minimum runw