S. Korea to allow major skyscraper near military airfield

By Sam Kim

SEOUL, March 31 (Yonhap) -- Overriding enduring concerns over a possible breach of national security, the government finalized its decision Tuesday to allow a local conglomerate to build a high-rise complex within the operational vicinity of a military airstrip south of Seoul.

Lotte Group's plan to build a 555-meter-tall skyscraper in southern Seoul has
been one of the most contentious issues involving local business circles and the
military since President Lee Myung-bak took office early last year with a pledge
to enforce "business-friendly" policies.
The government said recently that in return for the approval of the Lotte
project, it will ensure aviation safety by shifting the angle of one of the
runways at Seoul Airport, a military facility on the southern outskirts of Seoul.
The two sites are located about six kilometers apart, prodding some aviation
experts to warn that airplanes approaching Seoul Airport could crash into the
skyscraper.
Critics, including ruling and opposition lawmakers, argue that the government
measure would fall short of ensuring the safety of both planes and civilians,
especially in bad weather, when identifying obstructions adds to the strain on
pilots.
They also said the ability of the Air Force to deploy fighters to frontlines
would be compromised should war break out with North Korea.
The airfield is one of the closest to the border with North Korea.
The Air Force has also complied with the government decision in a drastic
reversal from its stance under the previous liberal Roh Moo-hyun administration.
Lotte Group is one of South Korea's largest family-run businesses, overseeing
about 50 subsidiaries ranging from retail and finances to hotels and
entertainment. Lotte World, which opened next to the construction site of the
skyscraper in 1989, is estimated to draw about 5 million visitors each year.