Gimpo International Airport

History

The airfield was originally constructed in 1939–1942 during the Japanese Imperial period.

Korean War

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

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. 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. 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.

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. 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. On 5 August 5th Air Force fighters strafed and bombed Gimpo, destroying 9 aircraft and damaging 9 others.

Following the Inchon landings on 15 September 1950, the 2nd Battalion 5th Marines was ordered to seize Gimpo on 17 September. 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. 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 Marsden Matting. On 6 October the USAF took control of Gimpo from the USMC.

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.

USAF units based at Gimpo (Kimpo) included:

Other UN units based at Gimpo (Kimpo) included:

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

International era

In 1958, Gimpo was designated as the international airport of the South Korean capital city, replacing the existing Yeouido Airport. Since the opening of Gimpo, Yeouido Airport was totally demolished. It soon became the main airport of Seoul and the entire South Korea. In 1971 the new terminal was opened as both domestic and international, but as opening of Terminal 1 in 1977, the original terminal was converted as domestic. Later, Terminal 2 was opened due to the olympics.

However, it has grown into a much more significant airport that is capable of handling 226,000 flights a year. Since 1980, Gimpo met a lot of problems, due to its over handling and lack of spaces to expand. It was one of the most problem that it has curfew, which means arrival and departure are strictly prohibited during the mornight.

Due to these problems, the government made a new plan to build a new airport. It was actually planned in Cheongju, 124 km far from Seoul, but it was strongly opposed by Seoul and Gyeonggi citizens due to its inconvenience(it is more far than Viracopos Airport in Campinas, Brazil,approximately 100 km far from the city). Finally the new site was decided nearby Yeongjong Island, a part of Incheon. This was later known as Incheon International Airport. When Incheon was opened in 2001, all international flights were moved to Incheon(new airport) and only served domestic flights.

Domestic era

However, due to the lack of airlines, a flight to Haneda Airport in Tokyo was started in 2003. From that, Gimpo returned as international airport. Since then, several international flights in neighbor countries were added and currently it normally served particular international airlines especially to nearby countries.

Since all 3 terminals were outdated, there's a masterplan to refurbish them. It is deemed to be completed by 2017.

Gimpo currently has two runways (3600 m × 45 m & 3200 m × 60 m), two passenger terminals, and one cargo terminal.

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:

Other facilities

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

Rail

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.

Accidents and incidents