Seoul Air Base Explained

Seoul Air Base
Iata:SSN
Icao:RKSM
Type:Military
Owner-Oper:Republic of Korea Air Force
City-Served:Seoul Capital Area
Location:Seongnam, Gyeonggi, South Korea
Elevation-F:92
Elevation-M:28
Metric-Rwy:y
R1-Number:01/19
R1-Length-M:2,743
R1-Length-F:9,000
R1-Surface:Asphalt
R2-Number:02/20
R2-Length-M:2,957
R2-Length-F:9,700
R2-Surface:Asphalt
Footnotes:Source: DAFIF[1]

Seoul Air Base (sometimes K-16 Air Base, Seoul Airport or Seongnam Air Base) is located in Seongnam city near Seoul in South Korea. Runway 19 and 20 are equipped with an ILS.

History

Korea under Japanese rule constructed 여의도 비행장(Yeouido Air Base).

Korean War

The USAF designated the Yeouido air base at K-16 during the Korean War.

USAF units based here included:

Postwar

Yeouido Air Base closed as 1970, moved garrison to current Sinchon-ri, and named it Seoul Air Base.

The base is home to the ROKAF 15th Special Missions Wing.

The US Army's 2nd Battalion (Assault), 2nd Aviation Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division operating Sikorsky UH-60 Blackhawks is based there.

The Seoul Air Show is held annually in this airfield.

The base is used as a VIP airfield by the President of Republic of Korea and other VIPs and heads of state.

Construction of a Lotte World Tower

On the survey conducted by Sisain Press, 86% of military pilots and air traffic controllers opposed the construction of a Lotte World Tower because of a safety hazard. They were concerned that it would interfere with the flight path.President Lee Myeong Bak (2008–2012) got the green light for a 555 meter tall skyscraper after rebuilding the airfield to deviate from the 123-story tower in Jamsil, Seoul. The building now operates as Lotte World Tower, the tallest building in any OECD country.[3]

See also

References

37.4458°N 127.1139°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: usurped. Airport information for RKSM. https://web.archive.org/web/20190305143444/http://worldaerodata.com/wad.cgi?airport=RKSM. 2019-03-05. World Aero Data. Data current as of October 2006. Source: DAFIF.
  2. Book: Futrell, Frank. The United States Air Force in Korea, 1950-1953. Air Force History & Museums Program. 1983. 9780912799711. 361.
  3. News: 86% of military pilots and air traffic controllers opposed construction of 2nd lotte world. Jung. Hee sang. 2009-02-16.