
Chairman Choi Jae-ho Elected… Supporting the Construction of a Dedicated Civilian Runway and Facility Expansion
In line with the growth of Cheongju International Airport, the Chungbuk Provincial Council formed a special committee for comprehensive development support and began activities to support the construction of a new private runway and expansion of facilities.
AI-generated summary
Cheongju International Airport Has Exceeded 4 Million Passengers for Two Consecutive Years, Raising the Need for Facility Expansion.
(Cheongju=Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Hyeong-woo = The North Chungcheong Provincial Council has formed a Special Committee for Comprehensive Development Support of Cheongju International Airport and initiated support activities.
The provincial council announced on the 12th that Assemblyman Choi Jae-ho (Cheongju 11) was elected as the chairman of the special committee, and Assemblyman Gwak Sang-seon (Eumseong 1) was elected as the vice chairman.
The committee members are Assembly members Kim Seong-woo (Jincheon 2), Park Sang-don (Cheongju 7), Park Hee-nam (Proportional 1), Lee Sook-ae (Cheongju 2), Lee Jae-myung (Jincheon 1), and Choi Boo-rim (Boeun).
Composed of eight members, the special committee will take charge of policy and budget support related to Cheongju Airport at the provincial council level.
The number of passengers using Cheongju Airport last year was counted at 4,669,956.
Following 4,579,221 passengers in 2024, it surpassed 4 million for two consecutive years, marking the highest number of users since its opening in 1997.
As the number of users grows, calls from local political circles and civil society to expand facilities have been steady.
The special committee plans to support the construction of a new civilian-exclusive runway, the expansion of the passenger terminal, the enlargement of the regional transportation network, and the creation of an airport economic zone.
Among these, the construction of a new runway has already taken its first step as 500 million won for a preliminary feasibility study service was reflected in this year's government budget.
The special committee intends to join forces so that the new runway plan is also reflected in the 7th Comprehensive Plan for Airport Development (2026–2030), the highest-level statutory plan for national aviation policy.
Chairman Choi Jae-ho stated, "We will do our utmost to ensure that Cheongju Airport establishes itself as a hub airport for the central region."
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