CRI

 [ABSTRACT]

In 2023, Cheongju International Airport recorded 3.69 million passengers, the highest since its establishment as a civilian airport in 1997. This remarkable increase in demand highlights its exceptional accessibility. However, operational constraints imposed by its status as a military-civilian shared airport limit the expansion of civilian flight operations. To overcome these limitations and establish the airport as a central hub in the mid-region of South Korea, Chungbuk Province is prioritizing the expansion of a dedicated civilian runway and related infrastructure.

This study aims to demonstrate the necessity of expanding a civilian-exclusive runway at Cheongju International Airport, particularly from the perspective of air cargo logistics. First, it evaluates the airport’s competitiveness in terms of logistics volume and national accessibility. Second, it analyzes the contribution of fostering the airport as a key cargo hub to enhancing national competitiveness.

Using TransCAD for transportation analysis, the study revealed that the average travel time from 247 regions to Incheon International Airport is 136.3 minutes, whereas the average travel time to Cheongju International Airport is 110.3 minutes, offering a reduction of approximately 26.0 minutes (19.1%). For 65.6% (162 regions) of the analyzed regions, Cheongju International Airport proved to be more advantageous in terms of travel time.

Further analysis of land transportation costs in 2023 estimated the total logistics cost to Incheon International Airport at KRW 71.24 billion. Among this, the cost associated with the inability of 162 regions to utilize Cheongju International Airport amounted to approximately KRW 23.0 billion, accounting for 32.3% of the total. Under a scenario where Cheongju International Airport is developed as a secondary air cargo hub, the estimated savings in land logistics costs over 20 years amount to KRW 1.3 trillion.

This study provides quantitative evidence supporting the social benefits of decentralizing logistics functions to Cheongju International Airport. The analysis, based solely on land transportation costs, represents a conservative estimate; incorporating additional indicators may yield more significant benefits.

The findings highlight the necessity of distributing logistics functions to Cheongju International Airport to promote balanced regional development, economic revitalization, and the specialization of regional industries. Furthermore, the successful realization of this vision requires the development of robust infrastructure and an ecosystem fostering collaboration among air cargo stakeholders.