Tractor procession around Seongsan-eup "Jeju 2nd Airport is a rural destruction policy"

On the 24th, farmers' vehicle protests were held in Seongsan-eup, the planned site of Jeju's second airport. ⓒJeju Voice

Farmers have organized a vehicle protest to voice their opposition to the planned construction of Jeju's second airport.

At around 4:30 p.m. on the 24th, tractors, trucks, and vans began to gather at the farming support center of Seongsan Ilchulbong Agricultural Cooperative's Sinsan Branch in Sinsan-ri, Seongsan-eup, Seogwipo-si.

Less than 30 minutes later, the number of vehicles had grown to dozens, and farmers who exited their vehicles placed yellow banners in front of them.

The banners, which were placed on about 60 vehicles, read, "No to the 2nd Airport," "OUT 2nd Airport," and "Stop the 2nd Airport.

This is the scene of the 'Jeju 2nd Airport Jeju Farmers' Advance' vehicle protest, organized by the Jeju Federation of the Korean Federation of Farmers' Associations.

Farmers have labeled the second airport plan as a "farmland destroying," "rural destroying," and "peace destroying" national project. 

A third of the proposed site of the second airport is farmland, and many farmers who live and work on the site have lost their livelihoods.

The Jeju Farmers' Federation, which has been campaigning against the construction of the second airport, is advocating for the cancellation of the second airport in order to protect the rural community and preserve farmers' lives.

They argue that they cannot watch the reality of rural destruction caused by national projects as Jeju's rural areas are gradually disappearing due to overdevelopment.

The farmers marched from Sinsan-ri, Seongsan-eup, through Onpyeong-ri, Sinyang-ri, Siheung-ri, Goseong-ri, and Susan-ri to make their opposition to the second airport clear.

Recently, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport and the Ministry of Strategy and Finance have completed consultations on the project cost of Jeju's second airport and are expected to announce the basic plan soon.

As a result, criticism has been voiced one after another by Jeju civil society and organizations, and Jeju farmers are also joining the opposition.