Solutions Finally Found

to Address 14 Years of Uljin Airport Noise

- ACRC addressing collective complaints filed by residents of Giseong-myeon, Uljin-gun, demanding the discontinuation of flight training through an onsite mediation meeting

- Reaching an agreement among relevant agencies and residents on introducing electric aircraft with low noise, dispersing training sites, and organizing and operating a resident council for mutual benefit

(27, Mar. 2024, ACRC)

The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC, Chairperson Ryu Chul Whan) conducted a mediation to resolve a collective complaint filed by residents demanding a halt to flight training at the UljinFlight Training Center (Uljin Airport) on the grounds of loud noise.

Following the mediation conducted during an onsite mediation meeting held on March 27 morning at the Happiness Sharing Center in Giseong-myeon, Uljin-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do presided overby Chairperson Ryu Chul Whan, noise from Uljin Airport will be reduced,and flight training for pilots will be provided seamlessly.

Uljin Airport was established in July 2010, where 445 employees, including 290 student pilots, are currently working. Uljin Airport annually trains 120 pilots through around 100,000 flight training sessions, utilizing 31 training aircraft.

However, 1,866 residents from 1,236 households from 15 villages in Giseong-myeon, Uljin-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do near Uljin Airport havecomplained about the inconveniences in maintaining their ordinary lives due to noises from flight training.

In this regard, Giseong-myeon residents organized a noise countermeasure committee in April 2019 and signed a mutual benefits agreement with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport, training operators, and Uljin-gun, Gyeongbuk. However, regular meetings for mutual benefits failed to be held, and the noise continued, which led residents to file a collective complaint to ACRC in June 2023, demanding a halt to flight training.

ACRC conducted a series of onsite investigations and consultations with relevant agencies to provide mediated measures that could reduce the noise and provide support for residents.

According to the mediation, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport will proactively promote the introduction of electric aircraft, which generate less noise, disperse training sites to other regions besides Uljin-gun, and organize and operate a flight training center council for mutual benefits starting from April 2024.

Uljin-gun will complete the construction of window systems in residents’homes by December 2025 to reduce noise from Uljin Airport and formulate measures to provide support for Giseong-myeon residents by December 2024.

Training operators, including Korean Aviation College and Korea Aerospace University, have agreed to conduct flight training that generates significant noise and has extended amounts of training will be provided in the US whenever possible. They will finalize details of flight training hours and methods, and ways to create and accumulate mutual support fund by May 2024 through consultations.

ACRC Chairperson Ryu Chul Whan said, "This mediation has paved the way for alleviating inconveniences faced by Giseong-myeon residents and promoting regional development along with training pilots by reducing noise from flight training. We anticipate that Uljin Airport will serve as a foundation for training pilots in Korea.“