The government will take necessary follow-up measures to swiftly pursue a project on expanding the existing Gimhae International Airport in the nation's southeastern region.
 
The government reached the decision during an emergency meeting of related ministers on Wednesday.
 
The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn and attended by the ministers of land, infrastructure and transport, of defense, science, culture and environment, among others.
 
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport named the airport expansion plan “a project to build Gimhae’s new airport.” The ministry said that it will address safety issues that have been cited as the airport’s weaknesses by building a new runway. The ministry said it will also expand passenger handling capacity to take care of future air traffic demand.
 
The ministry will improve transportation networks to the airport so that the expanded gateway will emerge as the key airport of the nation’s southeastern region.
 
Hwang ordered related agencies to thoroughly implement follow-up measures with the goal of opening the expanded airport in 2026.