A government committee has concluded that there is a need to fundamentally review a plan to expand Gimhae International Airport, thus virtually scrapping the plan. 

The committee set up under the Prime Minister's Office conducted a feasibility study focused on safety, noise, environment and facility issues and announced the results on Tuesday.

The committee said the plan requires significant improvements and otherwise would face difficulties in future changes.  

The panel accepted the Ministry of Government Legislation's assessment that the government must first consult on the safety issues with the Busan city government, thus concluding that the expansion plan has a procedural flaw.

Apparently, the committee regarded the failure by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to discuss safety concerns over nearby mountains with the Busan city government as the procedural flaw. 

The committee's move comes as Busan opposes the Transport Ministry's airport expansion plan. The municipal government, instead, is pushing for a plan to build the airport on Gadeok Island within its administrative authority.

In 2016, the government planned to build a new airport in the nation’s southeastern region with Gadeok Island and Miryang in South Gyeongsang Province as possible venues. However, it later ditched the plan and decided instead to expand the existing airport near Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province.