Pohang Gyeongju Airport is an airport in

Pohang Pohang () is a city in the province of North Gyeongsang, South Korea, and a main seaport in the Daegu-Gyeongbuk region. The built-up area of Pohang is located on the alluvium of the mouth of the Hyeongsan River. The city is divided into t ...

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...

. In 2011, 255,227 passengers used the airport.

History

Pohang Airfield was originally developed during the Japanese Imperial period.

Korean war

In early July 1950 Pohang airfield was identified as a potential base for

USAF The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Aerial warfare, air military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part ...

operations. On 7 July, Brigadier-General Timberlake deputy-commander of the

Fifth Air Force The Fifth Air Force (5 AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan. It is the U.S. Air Force's oldest continuously serving Numbered Air Force. The organizat ...

ordered the development of the base. Company A 802nd Engineer Aviation Battalion landed at Pohang and began improving the airfield on 12 July by added a PSP extension and building hardstands for 27 F-51 Mustangs. The airfield was designated by the

as K-3. Troops of the

Korean People's Army The Korean People's Army (KPA; ) is the military force of North Korea and the armed wing of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK). Under the '' Songun'' policy, it is the central institution of North Korean society. Currently, WPK General S ...

(KPA) 12th Division infiltrated the Pohang area in early August and made guerilla attacks against the airfield. By 12 August KPA troops entered Pohang and so on 13 August the

35th Fighter-Interceptor Group Military units *35th Fighter Wing, an air combat unit of the United States Air Force *35th Infantry Division (United States), a formation of the National Guard since World War I *35th Infantry Regiment (United States), a regiment created on 1 July 1 ...

evacuated to

Tsuiki Air Field is a military aerodrome of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force . It is located in Tsuiki, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. History Tsuiki Airfield was originally built by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force during World War II. The airfield was attack ...

in Japan. ROK and U.S. forces routed the KPA several days later, but the continued presence of guerilla units mitigated against an early return to the base. USAF units based there from July–August 1950 included: *

from 14 July-13 August 1950 subordinate units included: ** 39th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron operating F-51s from 8–13 August 1950 **

40th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron 4 (four) is a number, numeral (linguistics), numeral and numerical digit, digit. It is the natural number following 3 and preceding 5. It is the smallest semiprime and composite number, and is tetraphobia, considered unlucky in many East Asian c ...

operating F-51s from 16 July-13 August 1950 * 6131st Air Base Squadron (later 6131st Tactical Support Wing) from 14 July 1950 The 802nd Battalion returned to Pohang on 27 September finding the airfield relatively undamaged. The

returned to Pohang on 3 October. On 12 October

No. 77 Squadron RAAF No. 77 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) squadron headquartered at RAAF Base Williamtown, New South Wales. It is controlled by No. 81 Wing, and equipped with Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II multi-role fighters. The squadr ...

operating F-51s arrived at Pohang. In July 1953 the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

deployed two AJ (A-2) Savage aircraft to K-3 as a nuclear deterrent in the final days of the Korean War.Miller, Jerry. ''Nuclear Weapons and Aircraft Carriers: How the Bomb Saved Naval Aviation''. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 2001. . In March 15, 1999 Pohang airport was the site of

Korean Air Flight 1533 Korean Air Flight 1533 was a domestic passenger flight from Gimpo International Airport to Pohang Airport. On March 15, 1999, the McDonnell Douglas MD-83 operating the flight overshot runway 10 during landing at Pohang Airport. All 156 people on ...

McDonnell Douglas MD-83 The McDonnell Douglas MD-80 is a series of five-abreast single-aisle airliners developed by McDonnell Douglas. It was produced by the developer company until August 1997 and then by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The MD-80 was the second gene ...

which was flying from

Seoul Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the Capital city, capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the North Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea ...

To Pohang. The flight overshot runway 10 during landing at Pohang Airport. All 156 people on board survived, but the aircraft was destroyed. The accidient was the 11th hull loss of an McDonnell Douglas MD-80.

Current

In October 2008 the

relocated a permanent detachment of

MH-53E Sea Dragon The Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion is a heavy-lift helicopter operated by the United States military. As the Sikorsky S-80, it was developed from the CH-53 Sea Stallion, mainly by adding a third engine, adding a seventh blade to the main rotor, ...

s assigned to

HM-14 Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron 14 (HM-14) is a United States Navy helicopter squadron established in 1978 based at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia. Nicknamed the ''Vanguard'' and flying the MH-53E Sea Dragon, it comprises both active du ...

from

Iwakuni, Japan is a city located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. History Iwakuni was formerly the castle town of the Iwakuni han, which was formed by Lord Hiroie Kikkawa after he was banished there for supporting the defeated shōgun. The Kikkawa clan rule ...

. This detachment provides

Seventh Fleet The Seventh Fleet is a numbered fleet of the United States Navy. It is headquartered at U.S. Fleet Activities Yokosuka, in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It is part of the United States Pacific Fleet. At present, it is the largest of ...

with a forward-deployed AMCM and heavy-lift asset. Because Pohang Gyeongju Airport is sharing with military, taking photograph or video of apron, runway and military facility is strictly prohibited.

Airlines and destinations

Statistics

Access

Bus

* No. 200 : Yangdeok ↔ Lotte Department Store ↔ Jukdo Market ↔ POSCO ↔ Pohang Gyeongju Airport ↔ Guryongpo

References

External links

Official websiteArchive
{{authority control Airports in South Korea Military installations of the United States in South Korea Airports established in 1970 1970 establishments in South Korea