Chungcheongbuk-do

Surpassing 4 Million for the Second Consecutive Year; Record-Breaking International Passenger Traffic Exceeding Daegu Airport’s 2019 Performance, Cementing Its Status as a Top 4 Regional Airport Unified Efforts Underway to Enact a Special Act and Build a Dedicated Civilian Runway According to air traffic data provided by Korea Airports Corporation, Cheongju International Airport set a new all-time record in 2025, solidifying its position as one of South Korea’s preeminent “Top 4 Regional Airports.” The airport served a total of 4,669,956 passengers in 2025, exceeding its 2024 record and marking a milestone achievement of surpassing 4 million passengers for two consecutive years. Notably, international passenger numbers also reached an all-time high, thanks to the diversification of international routes—signaling both quantitative and sustained growth. Its 2025 passenger count surpassed the symbolic benchmark of Daegu Airport’s 2019 annual record (4,669,057 passengers), previously regarded as the defining benchmark for top 4 regional airports. With this, Cheongju has firmly overtaken Daegu, further cementing its position as one of South Korea’s top-tier regional airports. Cheongju Airport is also accelerating structural improvements to accommodate the growing number of passengers. In 2025 alone, eight new food and beverage outlets—including Korean restaurants, fast food spots, and cafés—opened in the passenger terminal, greatly enhancing passenger convenience. Infrastructure projects currently underway—such as the construction of a second parking structure, terminal expansion, and additional aircraft stands—will further improve service quality once completed. Accessibility is also expected to improve significantly with major regional infrastructure projects begin to take shape. These include the Chungcheong Region Express Railway (CTX), high-speed rail modernization of the Chungbuk Line, the Cheonan–Cheongju Airport double-track railway, the Jamsil–Cheongju Airport metropolitan railway, Yeongdong–Ochang (Jincheon) expressway, and the Ochang–Goesan expressway. To continue this growth, Chungcheongbuk-do is prioritizing the construction of a dedicated civilian runway as a cornerstone project to establish Cheongju as a central hub airport in the central region. The province is uniting public and private sectors and political leaders to ensure the project to be formerly reflected in the upcoming “7th Airport Development Master Plan.” Furthermore, all local resources are being mobilized to support the enactment of the “Special Act for Cheongju Airport,” which would provide administrative and financial framework for civilian runway construction. Lee Hye-ok, Director of Balanced Construction for Chungcheongbuk-do, stated, “It is highly meaningful that Cheongju Airport has surpassed Daegu Airport’s historic passenger record and has sustained its steep upward trajectory by exceeding 4 million passengers for two years in a row.” She added, “We will do our utmost to construct a dedicated civilian runway so Cheongju Airport can serve as a global hub and expand further onto the internatonal stage, and contribute to balanced national development.”