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Inception of new airport
construction project in
Seoul Metropolitan Area
The plan to build Incheon Airport began to form in the late 1980s with the goal
of replacing the existing Gimpo Airport as the main airport serving the Seoul
Metropolitan Area. Gimpo Airport began in 1939 during the Japanese occupation,
when the Japanese military built a runway for military purposes. It was named
Gimpo Airport in 1958. In 1959, an integrated terminal was built, and from 1972
to 1980, the airport underwent its Phase 1 expansion. With the hosting of the 1986
Asian Games and 1988 Seoul Olympics, Korea underwent rapid globalization.
In particular, after overseas travel restrictions were lifted in 1989, demand for
air travel surged, with international passenger traffic rising by an annual average
of over 13% and domestic passenger traffic by more than 30%. In response, the
Korean government carried out the Phase 2 expansion project at Gimpo Airport
from 1982 to 1987.
30 The 30-year History of Incheon Airport Construction 31
