He said: “The hand of God of the new Gimhae airport” … ‘The Ministry of Lands, Infrastructure and Transport’

Prime Minister Jeong Sye-gyun is receiving the final results from Kim Soo-sam (left), Chairman of the Gimhae New Airport Verification Committee, at the Verification Results Delivery Ceremony of the New Airport Verification Committee. Gimhae held at the Government Complex in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 17th. [뉴스1]

Four years ago, when Paris Airport Authority Engineering (ADPi) announced the expansion of Gimhae Airport in place of Miryang and Gadeokdo in the pre-feasibility check service of the new Yeongnam area airport, such a favorable response emerged within the Ministry of Lands , Infrastructure and Transportation. The admiration went on to say that “the idea of ​​arranging a new track with a ‘V’ shape had not been thought of before.”

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said the long-standing controversy over the new airport in the Yeongnam region has ended and that it will endeavor to expand the Gimhae airport. However, in Busan, Ulsan and Gyeongnam (Bu, Ulsan, Gyeongsang), the result of the service was rejected and the new Gimhae airport was extended. Safety was an issue, and a Chinese civilian plane crash in 2002 was discussed, and the new Gimhae airport received no response.

At every turn, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport issued ‘report clarification material’ and ‘press reference material’, directly refuting Boo, Ul and Kyung’s claims and media reports quoting them. . Boo, Ul and Gyeong’s arguments were different from the facts, and the point was that the new Gimhae airport was the best option. There are dozens of such data. There was also a material entitled ‘The new Gimhae airport is even more necessary for security reasons.

ADPi officials announce the results of the preliminary feasibility review service for a new airport in the Yeongnam region in 2016. [뉴시스]

When it was decided to establish the Gimhae New Airport Verification Committee in the Prime Minister’s Office last June after a political compromise, officials from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport clearly established the principle. “If the new Gimhae airport is not eligible, the selection of the location of the new airport must start over from the origin.”

However, somehow, not long ago, the attitude of the new line of airport policy of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport began to change. Perhaps it is because of the conversation that the atmosphere of the verification committee in the Prime Minister’s office is turning unfavorable.

Officials who had proposed the principle of “checking the origin of the place” began to remain silent. I even felt the sensation of taking a step back. A senior public official even said: “If the National Assembly separately reflects the budget related to the new airport, it will have to be legally executed according to the purpose.”

It was interpreted to mean that if political circles decided to build an airport on Gadeokdo Island instead of the new Gimhae airport and set a budget, they would follow it. Even in the media coverage, he often avoided responding, saying, “I don’t know the content,” “It’s a sensitive topic, please understand.”

Finally, on the 17th, when the verification committee announced the conclusion that “a fundamental review is necessary” for the new Gimhae airport, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced the position of a white flag surrender, saying: “We will respect and accept the results of the verification and prepare a follow-up plan as soon as possible.”

The Ministry of Lands, Infrastructure and Transport surrendered to the announcement of the verification committee. [중앙포토]

Of course, it is true that they agreed to accept the results by setting up the verification committee in the Prime Minister’s office. However, such an agreement is based on the premise that the conclusion must be based on a reasonable basis that anyone can accept.

However, many experts assessed that the issues raised by the Verification Committee are not serious enough to refer to the ‘full review’, which in fact means that the New Gimhae Airport was canceled. In addition, there is broad disagreement over the ‘failure to comply with the consultation procedure with local governments’, which the Verification Committee has identified as the biggest flaw.

The Verification Committee suggested that it is a serious matter that violates the legal procedure that it did not consult with the local governments before establishing the basic plan, based on the authorized interpretation of the Prime Minister’s Office, but the government official explained that the procedure Establishing the basic plan requires consultation after notification. Also, it is common to have discussed the basic plan so far.

Despite this situation, the Ministry of Lands, Infrastructure and Transportation did not object and knelt. Even Interior Minister Kim Hyun-mi, who had to defend himself against unfair pressure from politicians, assisted in the National Assembly on the 18th, saying: “We must observe the results of the verification committee.”

On the 18th, the Minister of Lands, Infrastructure and Transportation, Kim Hyun-mi, announced “the fulfillment of the verification results” in the Judicial Committee of the National Assembly. Reporter Oh Jong-taek

If the verification committee’s criticism is accepted as it is, all officials of the Ministry of Lands, Infrastructure and Transport who have not properly consulted with local governments are subject to censorship. This is because they are the same ones who ruined the great national projects. It means that they stigmatize themselves.

Even with the announcement of the verification committee, the Ministry of Lands, Infrastructure and Transport has no response to the political movement to bypass due process and immediately convert Gadeokdo into a new airport. It seems that if you just decide, you will do what you decide. These are the scenes in which the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, which has been promoting the New Gimhae Airport for the past four years, would be right.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport without a soul in the so-called “welfare and dong” where only politicians and public opinion look at each other with contempt. Furthermore, people’s gaze towards the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transportation will inevitably grow colder.

Reporter Kang Gap-saeng [email protected]