Lee orders task force over airport relocation dispute

SEOUL, June 25 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung on Wednesday instructed the presidential office to form a task force to address ongoing disputes over the relocation of a military airport in the southwestern city of Gwangju.

Lee made the remarks as he visited Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul, earlier in the day, the presidential office said, as disputes have persisted over the airport's planned relocation from Gwangju to the nearby county of Muan.

During the session, Lee listened to opinions from Gwangju Mayor Kang Gi-jung, South Jeolla Province Gov. Kim Yung-rok, and residents of both Gwangju and Muan.

He then directed that the task force be composed of officials from the ministries of defense, finance and land as well as representatives from both local governments and affected communities to resolve the disputes as soon as possible.

"The government will take the lead (in resolving the dispute). The presidential office will form a task force," Lee said.

Established in 1964, the military airport has become a longstanding source of complaints from local residents due to noise from fighter jets as Gwangju has expanded into a city of approximately 1.4 million people.

A special law passed in 2023 laid the legal foundation for relocating the airport to a less populated coastal area. However, residents of the proposed sites, including Muan County, have voiced opposition due to concerns over noise and the environmental impact.

The Gwangju city government has proposed offering 1 trillion won (US$733.6 million) in financial compensation to Muan County in return for accepting the facility, but there has been little progress in reaching a compromise between the two sides.

ejkim@yna.co.kr
(END)