The Incheon Metropolitan Government reviewed plans to invest some  4.4 trillion won ($3.9 billion)  to make Incheon International Airport a  hub for exchanges with North Korea and build and repair its airports, according to a study commissioned by the city revealed Sunday.   
  
In May 2020, Incheon Metropolitan City commissioned Korea National University of Transportation's industrial-academic cooperation group for 135 million won to research plans to make Incheon International Airport a base airport to enable foreigner to visit North Korea and allow for North Korean tourism and imports and exports. 
  
The study described that “aviation will cost less and takes less time than modernizing railways,” and also proposed ways to improve North Korea’s airports.   

The ruling Democratic Party (DP) lawmakers proposed on April 26 revisions to a bill that would allow Incheon International Airport Corporation and Korea Airports Corporation to support such inter-Korean aviation projects. 
  
The Incheon city government report included  plans to renovate or newly construct nine North Korean airports.  North Korea has eight flagship airports out of more than 50 airports located across the country, and the study noted that  a new airport was needed in the North Korean city of Rason, which borders Russia. 
  
The report describes most North Korean airports, excluding its major international airports such as Pyongyang Sunan International Airport and Wonsan Kalma International Airport, as having underdeveloped infrastructure and says its runways, passenger terminals and navigation safety facilities require repair or construction. 
  
The study found that “it was desirable to prioritize development of airports” near areas that are expected to have the most tourism demand such as Sunan Airport in Pyongyang, Wonsan Airport near Mount Kumgang and Samjiyon Airport near Mount Paektu.   
  
It found that “once exchanges are underway and economic growth comes in full swing, a second round of general airport construction and infrastructure repair can be proposed.” 
  
The report estimated the budget required for the project to approximate 4.4 trillion won and proposed obtaining the funds through public-private partnership. 
  
It also included a proposal to allocate 1.8 trillion won in state funds for the construction of a South-North peace road connecting the South's Yeongjong Island and Ganghwa with Kaeseong and Haeju in North Korea’s South Hwanghae Province. 
  
Another 30 billion won was proposed to establish a North Korea business platform, opening an office of the Federation of National Economic Cooperation based in Dandong, China, on Yeongjong Island, off the west coast of Incheon, where the Incheon airport is located. 
  
The report also proposed an 18-billion-won project building a North Korea airport terminal connecting Yeongjong Island with Haeju, located less than 50 kilometers (31 miles) away from Incheon, and other North Korean cities like Kaesong near the inter-Korean border. 
   
However Shin Beom-chul, director at the Center for Diplomacy and National Security at the Research Institute for Economy and Society, said, “It will be difficult to realize inter-Korean joint projects such as airport construction because they violate UN Security Council sanctions on North Korea. It won’t be too late to begin them once North Korea steps toward denuclearization and opens up, so I wonder if it’s necessary to propose an amendment bill at this point.” 

'인천공항 대북 교류 거점 연구' 용역 보고서

관련기사 링크:[단독]"4.4조 들여 北공항 건설" 인천시 보고서, 與는 법 발의 - 중앙일보 (joins.com)​