Escalation of Airport Noise Damage Response to Metropolitan and National Level Under Discussion

Provincial Assemblyman Park Sang-hyun of Gyeonggi Province (Democratic Party, Bucheon District 2) announced on the 20th that he held a briefing session with Assemblyman Kim Hwang-guk of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province and Assemblymen Ok Dong-jun and Lee Gwang-hee of Seoul Metropolitan Assembly at the Seoul Metropolitan Airport Noise Countermeasures Resident Support Center, and agreed to jointly promote related legislative amendments to develop countermeasures for airport noise damage.

During the briefing, participants pointed out that there is no legal basis for establishing metropolitan and basic-level noise support centers in many local governments, including Gyeonggi Province. The current law defines noise support center operations as "basic affairs," allowing metropolitan local governments to evade responsibility. Participants reached consensus that legal grounds can be established by supplementing the law to include "metropolitan and basic affairs."

Funding issues were also discussed. Currently, approximately 50 billion won in funds are being generated annually through landing fees and noise surcharges; however, there is a shortfall of 170 billion to 200 billion won annually for statutory noise countermeasure projects alone. In response, alternatives were proposed including differentially raising noise surcharges according to the noise generated by each aircraft type, and applying the fund-raising methods used for other nuisance facilities such as thermal power plants to airports as well.

Assemblyman Park Sang-hyun stated, "Although airports are facilities that cause noise damage to nearby residents, unlike other nuisance facilities, the legal basis for securing funding is inadequate," and stressed, "Regional Resource Facility Tax or special law-based fund-raising methods should be applied to airport noise countermeasures as well."

Participants also cited the case of Yangcheon-gu in Seoul, highlighting the limitations of basic-level local government responses. Policy consistency falters each time the district chief changes, and actual disadvantaged regions are often excluded from support, creating equity issues. Accordingly, consensus was reached that airport noise response should be elevated to national or metropolitan affairs.

Additionally, participants agreed to prepare a preliminary draft of the legislative amendment and share it with the offices of National Assembly members from relevant regions including Gyeonggi, Seoul, and Jeju for review. They also plan to hold a policy forum in the National Assembly around January 2027 to secure participation from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, local aviation authorities, airport corporation officials, and regional National Assembly members.

Assemblyman Park Sang-hyun stated, "Airport noise is not merely an issue for regions where airports are located, but a matter directly related to the nation's aviation policy; therefore, support for affected residents should be approached from the perspective of national responsibility," and expressed, "I will actively play a role in improving laws, securing funding, and establishing a support system so that local residents can receive substantial assistance."