Three Gwangju Military Airport Squadrons to Move to Yecheon and Seosan

Air Force unveils temporary deployment plan for air assets at parliamentary audit
316.9 billion won in next year's budget... relocation timeline may be brought forward

A plan has emerged to relocate the Gwangju Military Airport’s air assets to Yecheon in North Gyeongsang Province and Seosan in South Chungcheong Province. The move is part of measures related to the development of a semiconductor cluster in the Honam region. The units slated for relocation are three squadrons that operate advanced trainers and light attack aircraft.

According to the Air Force and other sources on October 20, a temporary deployment plan for the Gwangju Military Airport’s air assets was unveiled during a parliamentary audit of the Ministry of National Defense held that day at Gyeryongdae.

Gwangju Military Airport. Provided by Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City.

The Gwangju Military Airport is home to the 1st Fighter Wing, which trains fighter pilots. It has three squadrons: the 189th and 216th Flying Training Squadrons, which operate T-50 advanced trainers, and the 206th Fighter Squadron, which operates TA-50 light attack aircraft.

The Air Force plans to relocate the 189th and 216th Flying Training Squadrons to Yecheon Air Base and continue advanced flight training there. The T-50s operated by the two squadrons will be concentrated at one location to maintain the pilot training function.

The 206th Fighter Squadron will move to Seosan Air Base. Meanwhile, the 115th Fighter Squadron, a TA-50 operator currently based at Yecheon Air Base, will relocate to Jungwon Air Base in Chungju. The Lead-In Fighter Training (LIFT) course, which teaches pilots combat skills such as air-to-air and air-to-ground gunnery, will be conducted at Seosan and Jungwon Air Bases.

The Air Force has allocated 316.9 billion won in its 2027 budget for the relocation of the air assets. The funds will be used to provide housing for personnel and temporary operating facilities, as well as to secure equipment. The budget also includes costs for establishing suitable conditions for flight training.

The Air Force said it would adjust the training system to ensure that pilot training is not disrupted and maintain its readiness by bolstering standby forces in the southwestern region and expanding aerial training.

The temporary deployment was originally scheduled to be completed by mid-2028. However, the timeline may be adjusted after President Lee Jae-myung instructed officials on September 29 to review whether the relocation could be brought forward.

If the relocation of the Gwangju Military Airport to Muan is finalized and a new military airport is built, the three squadrons now dispersed between Yecheon and Seosan are expected to move back to Muan Air Base.

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