Seosan City is concentrating its administrative capabilities on proving economic and policy necessity and securing the justification for the Seosan Airport construction project in response to the feasibility re-examination triggered by an increase in project costs. While building a systematic response framework in cooperation with Chungcheongnam-do, the city plans to focus on improving institutional conditions by urging the prompt processing of a revision to the National Finance Act, which aims to raise the threshold for feasibility studies. Through these efforts, the city intends to ensure the normal promotion of the project by maintaining continuous consultations with the Ministry of National Defense and related agencies so that the airport construction can firmly establish itself as a core foundation for regional economic and tourism growth.

Chungcheongnam-do's Seosan City announced that it is fully responding to the feasibility re-examination of the Seosan Airport construction project, channeling its administrative power into securing economic and policy feasibility to ensure the project proceeds normally.

On the 22nd, the city stated that it plans to establish a close cooperative system with Chungcheongnam-do to ensure that the necessity of airport construction and its regional development effects are fully reflected in the feasibility re-examination, which was initiated following an increase in the total project cost.

This re-examination was triggered as the estimated cost for the Seosan Airport construction project rose from 48.4 billion won to 89.9 billion won. In August, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport requested a feasibility re-examination from the Ministry of Economy and Finance, which subsequently commissioned the Korea Development Institute (KDI) to conduct the study on the 15th.

Accordingly, Seosan City plans to focus on securing data to prove the economic validity and policy necessity of the project during the re-examination process, systematically presenting local conditions and the ripple effects resulting from the airport's construction.

In particular, the city plans to closely examine the factors driving up project costs to devise ways to reasonably adjust expenses while maintaining the safety and essential functions of the airport. Through a response system involving relevant experts, the city will prepare for potential issues raised during the investigation and continue consultations with related organizations, including the government and the National Assembly, to ensure local opinions are reflected in the project plan review.

Seosan City is also actively pursuing improvements to the feasibility study system. While monitoring the progress of the National Finance Act amendment—which proposes raising the feasibility study threshold from projects costing 50 billion won or more to 100 billion won—the city plans to petition related agencies for its prompt enactment.

Furthermore, if the amendment passes, the city intends to request complementary follow-up measures, such as provisions for application, so that the intent of the institutional improvement can be reflected even in projects currently undergoing re-examination. Through this, the city aims to reduce institutional uncertainties in the project implementation process and secure favorable conditions for the construction of Seosan Airport.

The city is also continuing to address security issues related to the airport's construction. Officials plan to continuously monitor the situation and hold necessary consultations with the Ministry of National Defense to ensure that the temporary dispersal plan for military aircraft from the Gwangju military airport to the Seosan base does not disrupt the advancement of Seosan Airport or future civilian flight operations.

Seosan Airport is regarded as a core project that will enhance Chungcheongnam-do's aviation accessibility and broaden the growth foundation for the regional economy and tourism industry. As this feasibility re-examination serves as a critical turning point for the project's progression, Seosan City plans to reinforce the logic supporting its economic and policy value while actively explaining the project's legitimacy through cooperation with related agencies.

"In close cooperation with Chungcheongnam-do, we will thoroughly explain the necessity of building Seosan Airport during the feasibility re-examination process and devise measures to adjust project costs while securing economic and policy viability," an official stated. "We will concentrate all our administrative capabilities to ensure that the Seosan Airport project moves forward normally."

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