By Kim Sun-ae
Does Korea need more airports? Out of the country’s existing 15 airports, 11 have shown chronic losses due to a lack of demand. Nevertheless, the government has planned 10 new airports across the country, including one in Saemangeum, the 409-square-kilometer reclaimed land next to the West Sea. Building more airports is against common sense since most of the existing ones have run massive deficits.
Moreover, many of the planned airports' sites are important to birds, such as habitats for migratory birds. Most bird strikes to aircraft occur within a 13-kilometer radius of airports. Therefore, a wildlife hazard management plan needs to be established for the area within a 13km radius of airports, according to the International Civil Aviation Organization, a U.N. agency for aviation safety.
Even though various factors might have caused the Dec. 29 Jeju Air crash, a bird strike is believed to be the first cause. Within a 13km radius of Muan International Airport in South Jeolla Province, there are migratory birds’ habitats, natural reserves and farmland that can attract birds. The location is not suitable for an airport.
The probability of a fatal accident due to a bird strike at Muan Airport is once every 12,221 years, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Last year, however, the tragedy beat the odds.
Furthermore, the ministry’s environmental impact assessment of the planned Saemangeum airport indicates a high risk of fatal accidents, estimating one could occur every 19 to 84 years within 13 km of the planned site. The risk of bird strikes at Saemangeum is significantly higher than at Muan.
A great number of birds live on the planned site of Saemangeum airport, the Sura Tidal Flat. The flat is an important habitat for various migratory birds and is surrounded by places that attract birds, including Saemangeum Lake, reservoirs, rivers and farmland.
The existing Gunsan Airport, right next to the flat, has run massive deficits. Is it reasonable to build an unnecessary airport that cannot ensure passengers’ safety?
Who profits from new airport construction? Builders and politicians who use such projects to win votes. But are money and votes worth more than human lives?
Also, constructing new airports will destroy nature and result in enormous amounts of carbon emissions, worsening the climate crisis. This month, environmental groups and each region’s committees against new airports jointly established Solidarity for Cancellation of New Airports. This organization aims to conserve the forests, wetlands and sea at the sites of the planned airports and save precious living beings there.
The organization said, “In this era of climate collapse and mass extinction, if we cannot save the life of one bird, we will not be able to save anyone in the end.” An airport that is dangerous to birds is also dangerous to humans.
The government can prevent tragedies by scrapping the plans to build new airports.
Kim Sun-ae (blog.naver.com/everythingchanges) wrote “Old Potato, New Potato” and translated “Little Lord Fauntleroy.”
English (United States) ·