Incheon pushes for approval of Baengnyeong airport, island bridge projects this year

Incheon has called on the central government to expedite its review of two key infrastructure projects aimed at improving transportation links to remote islands in the Yellow Sea.

The city announced Friday that it has formally requested active government cooperation to ensure that a feasibility reassessment for the Baengnyeong Airport construction project and a preliminary feasibility study for a bridge connecting Jangbongdo and Modo are completed this year.

Incheon Mayor Park Chan-dae met with Ministry of Planning and Budget Minister Park Hong-keun in person on Thursday to explain the unique transportation challenges facing island communities and press for swift completion of both review processes.

The Baengnyeong Airport project calls for building a small airport on an approximately 810,000-square-meter site in the Solgae district of Baengnyeong-myeon, Ongjin-gun.

The project cleared a preliminary feasibility study in 2022, but design changes made to improve aircraft takeoff and landing safety pushed the total project cost from the original 201.8 billion won ($151 million) to 391.3 billion won, triggering a full feasibility reassessment that has been under way since September 2024.

The city argues that an airport is essential for Baengnyeongdo, where bad weather frequently cuts off ferry services and severs residents' only link to the mainland. The facility is needed to guarantee basic freedom of movement, establish an emergency medical transport system and improve overall living conditions on the island.

The Jangbongdo–Modo bridge project would use 108.5 billion won to build a 1.8-kilometer, two-lane maritime bridge connecting Jangbongdo and Modo in Bukdo-myeon, Ongjin-gun.

The project was added to the preliminary feasibility study queue last year and is currently under review. While the opening of the Sindo Peace Bridge this year connected Sindo, Sido and Modo to Yeongjongdo by road, neighboring Jangbongdo still relies entirely on ferry services, leaving it cut off from the broader transport network.

Once the bridge is built, residents would gain dramatically better access to the mainland, and the city expects it to boost tourism by linking the island with nearby destinations.

"These two projects go beyond simply expanding infrastructure — they are essential to protecting the safety and mobility of island residents and achieving balanced regional development," Park said. "We will work closely with related ministries to ensure that the unique circumstances of island communities are fully reflected in the government review process, and we will push both projects forward without delay."