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Gimpo International Airport (Korean: 김포국제공항; Hanja: 金浦國際空港), commonly known as Gimpo Airport (IATA: GMP, SEL, ICAO: RKSS), formerly rendered in English as Kimpo International Airport, is located in the far western end of Seoul, some 15 km (9 mi) west of the Central District of Seoul. Gimpo was the main international airport for Seoul and South Korea before being replaced by Incheon International Airport in 2001. It now functions as Seoul's secondary airport. In 2015, 23,163,778 passengers used the airport, making it the third largest airport in Korea, as it has been surpassed by Jeju International Airport.

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Gimpo International Airport 김포국제공항 金浦國際空港 Gimpo Gukje Gonghang
Domestic terminal (before refurbishment)
IATA: GMP ICAO: RKSS WMO: 47110
Summary
Airport type	Public
Owner	Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport
Operator	Korea Airports Corporation
Serves	Seoul Capital Area
Location	Gangseo District, Seoul, South Korea
Opened	27 January 1958; 64 years ago (1958-01-27)
Hub for	Asiana Airlines Eastar Jet Jeju Air Jin Air Korean Air T'way Air
Elevation AMSL	18 m / 58 ft
Coordinates	37°33′29″N 126°47′26″E
Website	www.airport.co.kr/gimpo/index.do
Maps
Seoul in South Korea
GMP /RKSS Location in Seoul Show map of Seoul GMP /RKSS Location in South Korea Show map of South Korea
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 14R/32L 3,200 10,499 Asphalt 14L/32R 3,600 11,811 Asphalt
Statistics (2019)
Total passengers 25,448,416 Aircraft movements 140,422 Tonnes of cargo 253,395
Statistics from KAC[1]

Gimpo International Airport
Hangul	김포국제공항
Hanja	金浦國際空港
Revised Romanization	Gimpo Gukje Gonghang
McCune–Reischauer	Kimp'o Kukche Konghang

The airport is located south of the Han River in western Seoul. The name "Gimpo" comes from the nearby city of Gimpo, of which the airport used to be a part.

On 29 November 2003, scheduled services between Gimpo and Haneda Airport in Tokyo, Japan resumed. Services to Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport resumed on 28 October 2007. Services to Kansai International Airport in Osaka, Japan started on 26 October 2008. Services to Beijing Capital International Airport started on 1 July 2011.[2] Services to Taipei Songshan Airport started on 30 April 2012.[3]

History

The airfield was originally constructed in 1935–1942 during the Japanese Imperial period as an Imperial Army base. The runways were built on a bed of rocks manually hauled by Korean laborers from Kaihwasan and Yangchan, several miles from the base.[4] Then known as Keijo New Airfield (京城新飛行場), Kimpo was constructed with four runways to supplement the much smaller Keijo Airfield (京城飛行場), which was later known as Yeouido Airport.[5]

Korean War

Gimpo played a major role during the Korean War, and the USAF designated the airfield as Kimpo Air Base or K-14.[6]

North Korean forces attacked South Korea on 25 June 1950 starting the Korean War. During one of the first Korean People's Air Force (KPAF) attacks on 25 June a Military Air Transport Service C-54 Skymaster was destroyed on the ground at Gimpo. On 27 June US naval and air forces began evacuating 748 US diplomats, military dependents, and civilians by air transport from Kimpo and Suwon Airfield.[7] On the afternoon of 27 June five F-82 Twin Mustangs of the 68th Fighter Squadron and 339th Fighter Squadron were escorting four C-54 Skymaster aircraft out of Kimpo when the C-54s were attacked by five KPAF Lavochkin La-7 fighters. In the subsequent dogfights, three LA-7s were shot down for the loss of no US aircraft in the first air battle of the war.[8] Later that day four F-80Cs of the 35th Fighter-Bomber Squadron shot down four Ilyushin Il-10s for no losses over Gimpo in the USAF's first jet-aircraft victory.[7]

Gimpo was captured by the KPA shortly after the capture of Seoul on 28 June 1950. On 29 June eight B-29s of the 19th Bomb Group bombed Gimpo and the Seoul railyards.[7] By July the KPAF were using the base for attacks on UN forces, on 10 July, seven Yak-7s were hidden at Gimpo and used in strikes against UN positions at Cheongju. The next day they surprised and damaged several F-80s in the area. On 15 July the US launched an attack on Gimpo, destroying two or three of the seven Yak-7s there and damaging the runway.[9] On 5 August 5th Air Force fighters strafed and bombed Gimpo, destroying 9 aircraft and damaging 9 others.[9]^: 102

Following the Inchon landings on 15 September 1950, the 2nd Battalion 5th Marines was ordered to seize Gimpo on 17 September.[10] Gimpo was defended by a conglomeration of half-trained fighting men and service forces and by the morning of 18 September the Marines had secured the airfield. The airfield was in excellent shape as the North Koreans had not had time to do any major demolition.[10]^: 61 On 19 September, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers repaired the local railroad up to eight miles (13 km) inland and 32 C-54 transport planes began flying in gasoline and ordnance. VMF-212 was one of the first units to operate from Gimpo before moving forward to Yonpo Airfield. On 25 September the 811th Engineer Aviation Battalion began repairing bomb damage on the 6,000 feet (1,800 m) asphalt runway at Gimpo and covering it with Marston Matting.[9]^: 178–9 On 6 October the USAF took control of Gimpo from the USMC.[7]

Following the Chinese Third Phase Campaign and the defeat of UN Forces at the 38th Parallel, on 5 January 1951 General Ridgway ordered the evacuation of Seoul and the withdrawal of UN forces to a new defensive line along the 37th Parallel. Units based at Gimpo were withdrawn to the south and facilities were destroyed to prevent their use by Chinese and North Korean forces.

UN Forces resumed the offensive again in late January 1951 and launched Operation Thunderbolt on 25 January with the aim of pushing Chinese and North Korean forces back north of the Han River. By 10 February 1951, UN forces once again had control of Gimpo.[9]^: 293

USAF units based at Gimpo (Kimpo) included:

• 4th Fighter Wing operating F-86s from 23 August 1951 to 1 October 1954, subordinate units included:
  • 334th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
  • 335th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
  • 336th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
• 8th Fighter-Bomber Wing from 25 June to 23 August 1951
• 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing from 10 October 1950 to 10 December 1950, subordinate units included:
  • 16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron operating F-80s from 22 October 1950 to 3 January 1951
  • 25th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron operating F-80s from October 1950 to November 1951
• 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Group from 20 August 1951 to 6 December 1954, subordinate units included:
  • 12th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron operating RB-26Bs
  • 15th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron operating RF-80s and RF-86s
  • 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron operating F-51s
• 68th Fighter Squadron operating F-82s from 30 November 1950 to March 1951 and from 27 June to 24 August 1951
• 80th Fighter Squadron operating P-51s from 27 October to 20 December 1950

Other UN units based at Gimpo (Kimpo) included:

• No. 77 Squadron RAAF operating Gloster Meteors from June 1951

On 21 September 1953 North Korean pilot No Kum-Sok defected in his MiG-15 landing at Gimpo.

• 
  Mitsubishi Ki-51s at Kimpo, October 1945
• 
  Wreckage of C-54 destroyed on ground by KPAF fighters, June 1950
• 
  Captured KPAF Ilyushin Il-10, September 1950
• 
  F51s at Kimpo (K14) Airfield, October 1950
• 
  No. 77 Squadron RAAF Gloster Meteor, 1952
• 
  Engine change on an F-86E, 1952
• 
  MiG-15, 1953

International era

In 1958, the airport was redesignated as the Gimpo international airport of Seoul by a presidential decree, completely replacing the existing Yeouido Airport.[11]

Following the construction of Gimpo, Yeouido Airport was demolished. Gimpo soon became the main airport of Seoul, and of South Korea in general. In 1971, a new, combined domestic and international terminal was opened. However, following the opening of what was known as Terminal 1 in 1977, the original combined terminal was converted to domestic flights only. Later, Terminal 2 was opened due to the Olympic Games.

Gradually, Gimpo began to have more flights than it was capable of handling. After about 1980, it experienced numerous problems due to its lack of space for expansion. An additional problem was South Korea's overnight curfew (midnight to 4 a.m.), a security measure that was in effect for decades. The curfew, which severely limited the airport's night-time operations, was finally abolished in 1982.

Eventually, the South Korean government decided to build a new airport. The facility was initially planned to be in Cheongju, 124 kilometres away from Seoul, but that idea was strongly opposed by the citizens of Seoul and Gyeonggi Province, due to the inconvenience it would pose to them. (It would have been farther from Seoul than the 80-kilometre distance between Viracopos Airport in Campinas, Brazil, and the city of São Paulo.) Finally, Yeongjong Island, a part of the city of Incheon, slightly west of Seoul, was chosen for the new airport, which later came to be known as Incheon International Airport. All international flights were moved to Incheon when it opened in 2001.[12]

Post-Incheon-activation era

"Shuttle" flights to Haneda Airport in Tokyo started in November 2003 on a charter basis, cutting 30 minutes or more of ground transportation at each end in an attempt to attract business travelers.[13] This "city to city" route was followed by new routes to Hongqiao Airport in Shanghai starting in October 2007,[14] Kansai Airport in Osaka starting in 2008,[12] Beijing starting in July 2011,[15] and Songshan Airport in Taipei starting in April 2012.[16] Total international passenger numbers at Gimpo rose from under one million in 2005 to over four million by 2012.[12]

Korea Airports announced an expansion and remodeling of the terminals in 2013, adding new gates and security checkpoints.[17] In 2017, the South Korean government announced that a new terminal would be built to meet growing domestic traffic.[18]

Gimpo currently has two runways (3600 m × 45 m & 3200 m × 60 m), two passenger terminals, and one cargo terminal.^{[needs update]}

Airlines and destinations

Airlines	Destinations
Air Busan	Busan, Jeju, Ulsan
Air Seoul	Jeju[19]
All Nippon Airways	Tokyo–Haneda
Asiana Airlines	Beijing–Capital, Gwangju, Jeju, Osaka–Kansai, Shanghai–Hongqiao, Tokyo–Haneda, Yeosu
China Airlines	Taipei–Songshan
EVA Air	Taipei–Songshan
Fly Gangwon	Yangyang[20][21]
Hi Air	Jeju, Muan, Sacheon, Ulsan
Japan Airlines	Tokyo–Haneda
Jeju Air	Busan, Jeju, Osaka–Kansai
Jin Air	Busan,[22] Jeju, Pohang–Gyeongju,[23] Sacheon,[24] Yeosu[25]
Korean Air	Beijing–Capital, Busan, Jeju, Osaka–Kansai, Shanghai–Hongqiao, Tokyo–Haneda, Ulsan
T'way Air	Busan,[26] Jeju, Taipei–Songshan (begins 16 December 2022)[27]

Statistics

Top carriers

In 2016, the ten carriers with the largest percentage of passengers flying into, out of, or through Gimpo International Airport are as follows:

Top carriers (2016)

Rank	Carrier	Domestic passengers	International passengers	Total	%
1	Korean Air	5,215,514	1,220,978	6,436,492	25.70%
2	Asiana Airlines	4,088,721	1,123,109	5,211,830	20.81%
3	Jeju Air	2,740,861	244,915	2,985,776	11.92%
4	Jin Air	2,926,195		2,926,195	11.68%
5	Eastar Jet	1,956,905	54,663	2,011,568	8.03%
6	Air Busan	1,987,427	866	1,988,293	7.94%
7	T'way Air	1,787,123	70,992	1,858,115	7.42%
8	All Nippon Airways		424,542	424,542	1.70%
9	Japan Airlines		388,466	388,466	1.55%
10	China Eastern Airlines		194,044	194,044	0.77%

Traffic by calendar year

Traffic by calendar year

	Passenger volume	Aircraft operations	Cargo tonnage
2001	22,041,099	154,164	708,073
2002	17,092,095	128,428	302,240
2003	16,880,641	126,343	290,731
2004	7,674,153	52,212	175,850
2005	13,448,152	94,787	272,304
2006	13,766,523	94,943	274,368
2007	13,811,004	100,124	248,736
2008	14,264,693	108,015	203,977
2009	15,369,944	115,895	230,115
2010	17,565,901	118,514	226,493
2011	18,513,927	126,115	260,135
2012	19,429,224	130,269	254,563
2013	19,904,327	134,623	246,227
2014	21,566,946	138,706	271,990
2015	23,163,778	142,863	271,066
2016	25,043,299	146,266	274,712
2017	25,101,147	145,507	266,428
2018	24,602,588	141,080	267,266
2019	25,448,416	140,422	253,395
2020	17,446,239	113,580	142,380
Source: Korea Airports Corporation Traffic Statistics[28]

Other facilities

Korea Airports Corporation (KAC) has its headquarters on the airport property.[29]

The Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board (ARAIB) has its FDR/CVR Analysis and Wreckage Laboratory on the property of the airport.[30] When the predecessor agency Korea Aviation Accident Investigation Board (KAIB) existed, its CVR/FDR and wreckage laboratory was located on the airport property.[31]

Ground transportation

Railway

On 23 March 2007 the AREX airport express line started operations to Incheon International Airport, with an extension to Seoul Station which opened in December 2010. Seoul Subway Line 9 also links the airport to the Gangnam area.

For many years, the airport was served by the Gimpo Line, a railway line that no longer exists. In the 1990s, Seoul Subway Line 5 was extended to Gimpo Airport.

Roadway

Gimpo International Airport is connected to Incheon International Airport by Incheon International Airport Expressway via Gimpo Airport Interchange.

Some others road also linked Gimpo Airport with Seoul and nearby province including National Route 39, National Route 48, Olympic-daero and Seoul City Route 92 (Nambu Beltway).

Accidents and incidents

• On 19 November 1980, Korean Air Lines Flight 015, a Boeing 747-200 landed short of the runway, ripping off all main landing gear, causing the aircraft to skid to a stop on the nose wheel and outer 2 engines starting a fire. 15 of the 226 total occupants were killed, including the First Officer and Captain.[32]
• On 14 September 1986, A bomb blast occurred outside a terminal building, killing five people and wounding 36. The attack was blamed on North Korea as an attempt to disrupt the 1986 Asian Games starting 6 days later.[33]
• On 25 November 1989, Korean Air Flight 175, a Fokker F28-4000 en route to Gangneung Airport stalled and crashed right after takeoff, killing one person and wounding 40 people.[34]
• On 5 August 1998, Korean Air Flight 8702, a Boeing 747-400 rolled off the runway upon touchdown and slid into a ditch, resulting in the destruction of the aircraft's undercarriage and the fuselage being split. All 395 of the total occupants survived and the aircraft was written off.[35]

See also

• List of the busiest airports in South Korea
• Transport in South Korea

References

•  This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Air Force.
•  This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.

External links

• Gimpo Airport

На других языках

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[de] Flughafen Gimpo

Der Flughafen Gimpo (Offizielle Bezeichnungen: 김포국제공항; Gimpo International Airport) ist der zweitgrößte Verkehrsflughafen in Südkorea. Er befindet sich im äußersten Westen der Hauptstadt Seoul in Gwahae-dong südlich des Flusses Hangang nahe Gimpo und war bis zur Eröffnung des Flughafens Incheon im Jahr 2001 der bedeutendste des Landes. Flughafenbetreiber ist Korea Airports Corporation (Seoul).

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- [en] Gimpo International Airport

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[es] Aeropuerto Internacional de Gimpo

El Aeropuerto Internacional de Gimpo (IATA: GMP, OACI: RKSS), hangul: 김포국제공항), conocido antiguamente como Aeropuerto Internacional de Kimpo, es el segundo mayor aeropuerto de Corea del Sur detrás del Aeropuerto Internacional de Incheon. Se ubica en el límite oeste de la ciudad de Seúl.

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[fr] Aéroport international de Gimpo

L'aéroport international de Gimpo (en coréen : 김포공항 (forme courte) — 김포국제공항) (code IATA : GMP • code OACI : RKSS) est le second aéroport de Séoul, depuis l'ouverture de l'aéroport international d'Incheon en 2001. En 2014, 21 566 946 passagers l'ont utilisé, ce qui fait le 3e aéroport de Corée du Sud, derrière Incheon et l'aéroport international de Jeju.

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[it] Aeroporto Internazionale di Seul-Gimpo

L'Aeroporto Internazionale di Seul-Gimpo[2] (IATA: GMP, ICAO: RKSS),[3] commercialmente noto come Aeroporto Internazionale Gimpo, è, insieme all'Aeroporto Internazionale di Seul-Incheon, uno dei due scali della città di Seul. Prima dell'apertura di Incheon l'aeroporto Gimpo era l'unico della capitale sud-coreana e il maggiore in Corea.

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[ru] Кимпхо (аэропорт)

Международный аэропорт Кимпхо (кор. 김포국제공항), (ИАТА: GMP, formerly SEL, ИКАО: RKSS) — аэропорт в Сеуле, Южная Корея. Расположен в западном конце города, в 15 километрах от центра. До 2001 года являлся главным международным аэропортом для Сеула и Южной Кореи в целом. В 2001 году его функции взял на себя международный аэропорт Инчхон. Сейчас функционирует как второй аэропорт Сеула. В 2015 году аэропортом воспользовались 23 163 778 пассажиров, что делает его третьим по величине аэропортом в Корее, после аэропортов Инчхон и Чеджу.

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