Seen is the aerial view of the planned airport on Gadeok Island in the southern port city of Busan, slated to be built by 2029. Korea Times file



By Lee Hae-rin



South Gyeongsang Province hopes a new airport on Gadeok Island would be the first airport named after a historic figure.



According to the South Gyeongsang Provincial Council, Tuesday, ruling People Power Party (PPP) council member Park Choon-duk proposed naming the proposed new airport on Gadeok Island "Yi Sun-sin International Airport."



"To maximize the ripple effect of the new airport, which has been the southern region's long-cherished goal, the airport needs an internationally appealing name based on a national consensus, instead of being simply named after the region," Park said.



"There are many international airports around the world named after respected historic figures, such as the Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport at the heart of Europe, the John F. Kennedy International Airport leading to the gate of the U.S., the Leonardo da Vinci Airport of Rome in Italy and the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, India," he said.



Yi was a naval commander of the 1392-1910 Joseon Kingdom whose name has gone down in history for fighting against the Japanese navy during its invasions of Korea in the 1590s.



Park's proposal underscored that Korea's spiritual foundation stems from the admiral's spirit of perseverance in overcoming obstacles. He pointed out the possibility of promoting the airport, which will connect the country's southern region to Southeast Asian countries, into a regional symbol and an international landmark.



Also, the southern coasts and port cities neighboring the new airport are historically significant as stages for the admiral's undefeated battles, the proposal said. Thus, designing the airport's control tower and apron into the shape of Admiral Yi and his renowned invention, the Turtle Ship, could turn the development into an international landmark, Park said.



The provincial council suggested creating room for public discussion on developing the airport into a regional landmark by branding it with the historic figure and associating it with the local municipalities' cultural and tourist policies themed around the heroic admiral.



The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport manual on naming airports stipulates the use of city or district location names by principle. But it allows for alternative names if deemed appropriate.



The government has been planning to build the new airport to disperse the growing air traffic from Gimhae International Airport in Busan, the only international airport in the southern region, since the liberal Roh Moo-hyun administration (2003-2008).



The construction gained momentum with the proposal of the Special Act on Construction of Gadeokdo New Airport from both the ruling and opposition parties in 2020, which passed at the National Assembly the year after. The airport is slated to open in December 2029, over five years ahead of the original plan scheduled for June 2035.



The council will discuss and decide to adopt or drop the proposal in its upcoming extra session this month.

