CHEONGJU — Cheongju International Airport posted the fastest growth in international passenger traffic among South Korea's regional airports, cementing its position as the main gateway for air travel in the country's central region. The growth rate outpaced Jeju, Gimhae and Gimpo airports, raising the prospect that annual passenger numbers could top 5 million for the first time. New routes to China and Japan are also planned, widening overseas travel options for residents of the Chungcheong region and the southern part of the greater Seoul area.
International passengers at Cheongju Airport totaled 1,740,454 in the first nine months of this year, up 33.7% from 1,301,320 a year earlier, according to aviation statistics from Korea Airports Corporation released on the 13th. That was the highest growth rate among the country's regional airports, ahead of Jeju Airport at 26.8%, Gimhae Airport at 22.7% and Gimpo Airport at 18.5%.
Total passenger numbers also rose sharply on the back of the surge in international traffic. Cumulative passengers through September reached 3,903,291, an increase of 18.0% from 3,309,261 in the same period last year. Cheongju Airport also ranked fourth among regional airports in total passenger volume in the first half of this year, behind Jeju, Gimpo and Gimhae. Its growing presence in both international growth and overall volume is strengthening its standing as the central region's gateway airport.
The expansion of international service is reshaping how the airport is used. International travelers accounted for about 44.6% of all passengers in the January-September period. With international passengers approaching half of the total, the airport is shifting from a largely domestic hub to one where overseas routes carry substantial weight.
The trend continued in September alone. Total passengers came to 423,771, up 4.8% from a year earlier. Domestic passengers fell 1.8% to 230,701, but international passengers rose 14.0% to 193,070, lifting the overall figure. International flights also increased 20.6% to 1,525 from 1,264.
Monthly passenger numbers at the airport topped 500,000 in August for the first time since it opened. After handling 4,669,956 passengers last year, the airport is now watched for whether it will exceed 5 million for the first time this year.
The airport's international network is also becoming more diverse. Starting this month, charter routes connecting Yichang and Shijiazhuang in China and Matsuyama and Fukushima in Japan will be added in stages. As residents of the Chungcheong region and southern parts of the greater Seoul area gain access to a wider range of destinations in China and Japan through Cheongju, their overseas travel options are expected to broaden. Higher fuel surcharges stemming from rising international oil prices, however, are seen as a variable for air travel demand at the end of the year.
"We are sustaining growth despite the variable of higher fuel surcharges driven by soaring international oil prices," said Kim Min-jung, director of the Balanced Development Division at North Chungcheong Province. "We will diversify international routes around travelers' needs and continue to improve airport infrastructure to strengthen competitiveness."