Jeonnam Gwangju Special City Council Urges "Normalization and Swift Reopening of Muan Airport"

Road Traffic Committee: "Investigation into the Accident and Reopening Preparations Must Proceed in Parallel"
Urges the Government to Restore Safety Facilities and Establish Measures for Regional Economic Recovery

The Road Traffic Committee of the Jeonnam Gwangju Unified Special City Council (Chairman Kang Suhun) has called for the safe normalization and swift reopening of Muan International Airport.

On August 5, the committee issued a statement titled "Call for the Safe Normalization and Swift Reopening of Muan International Airport," demanding that the government promptly proceed with reopening preparations, premised on identifying the cause of the accident and securing safety.

The committee stated, "Recovering and identifying the victims' remains, thoroughly investigating the cause of the accident, and establishing measures to prevent recurrence must be prioritized above all else." However, it also emphasized, "Due to the prolonged suspension of operations at Muan International Airport, the mobility rights of Gwangju and Jeonnam residents have been restricted, and the tourism, travel industry, as well as the regional economy are experiencing severe difficulties. Therefore, preparing for normalization of the airport, based on safety, is an urgent task that can no longer be delayed."

A view of the Nammak Government Building of the Jeonnam Gwangju Integrated Special City Council.

Regarding President Lee Jaemyung's recent directive at a Cabinet meeting to separate the investigation of the accident from reopening preparations, and to advance both the restoration of safety facilities and reopening plans once the recovery of remains is complete, the committee welcomed this approach, saying it "takes into account both safety and the need for regional economic recovery."

The committee urged the government and relevant authorities to: ▲ thoroughly complete recovery of victims' remains and accident cause investigations, and communicate sufficiently with the bereaved families, ▲ proceed swiftly with the restoration of safety facilities and reopening preparations, and present a roadmap for normalization and a timeline for the reopening of Muan International Airport as soon as possible, ▲ flawlessly implement all necessary follow-up measures for reopening, such as improvements to aeronautical safety facilities and runway safety inspections, and ▲ establish substantial support measures for the recovery of the tourism and travel industry and the regional economy that have suffered due to the airport’s operational suspension.

Finally, the committee stated, "While sharing the pain of the bereaved families, the council will continue to cooperate with the government and relevant authorities at the council level to enable the safe reopening of the airport and will fulfill all necessary responsibilities."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.