ICN Airport. The largest airport in Korea.

ICN Airport. The largest airport in Korea. And Gateway to Korea.

ICN Airport(Incheon International Airport) is an airport located in the Unseo-dong area of Jung-gu, Incheon, South Korea. It opened on March 29, 2001, and serves as South Korea’s primary international gateway, taking over the international functions of Gimpo International Airport.

It is the largest private airport in South Korea. Naturally, there is no airport in North Korea larger than Incheon Airport, making it the largest airport on the Korean Peninsula. South Korea, essentially an island nation, relies heavily on air travel for international connections. Incheon International Airport is where most of South Korea’s international passenger flights land and take off. Hence, it is often referred to as the gateway to the skies of South Korea.

The name of ICN Airport is…

The official name of ICN Airport is “Incheon International Airport,” and it is registered as such with IATA and ICAO. However, it is sometimes referred to as “Seoul Incheon International Airport” or even “Seoul International Airport” internationally. Some people use these names because the airport’s location (city code) is externally listed as “Seoul (SEL),” which is simply for the convenience of foreigners. In reality, the airport is located in Incheon. Incheon is part of the Seoul Metropolitan Area, and Seoul is the capital and representative city of South Korea’s metropolitan area, which is why such designations can be used.

However, Incheon Metropolitan City is a large city in its own right. Except for some areas, it is a separate city with its own distinct living area and economic power. It is not merely a satellite city of Seoul, like many cities in Gyeonggi Province. The majority of Incheon citizens work within Incheon itself. The IATA code for this airport, ICN, is widely used in various industries as Incheon’s distinct city code. Additionally, the relationship between Seoul and Incheon is described on many foreign websites as an example of twin cities, such as DFW and MSP. This is an announcement made inside passenger planes landing at Incheon Airport: “We will be landing at Incheon International Airport, the capital of South Korea, shortly.” The announcement mentions both Incheon and Seoul. Meanwhile, Incheon City Hall is requesting a change in the airport’s external name to Incheon.

More about ICN Airport.

It’s an impressive airport in terms of passenger numbers, airport size, flight capacity, and various other purposes.

An airport built on reclaimed land created through land reclamation.

There were islands such as Yeongjong Island, Yongyu Island, Sammok Island, and Sinbul Island in front of Incheon’s coastal area. These islands were reclaimed to build South Korea’s largest airport.

The scale of ICN Airport.

It boasts overwhelming scale in terms of flight routes and passenger numbers compared to other airports in South Korea. Additionally, it consistently ranks at the top in the annual Skytrax list of the world’s top 100 international airports, as well as in the Airport Service Quality (ASQ) surveys organized by the Airports Council International (ACI). It has been recognized as providing the highest quality service in the world for 12 consecutive years. The airport’s facilities are equally impressive. Construction began on the new terminal in 2008 to expand airport facilities, and in 2018, the second passenger terminal was opened. Subsequently, a fourth runway and an expansion of the second passenger terminal have been underway as part of the fourth phase of development. Upon completion of the fifth and final expansion phase, the airport will have three terminals and five runways, making it a massive airport.

Passenger terminal

There are two passenger terminals in operation: the first passenger terminal and the second passenger terminal. The second passenger terminal is used by Korean Air, Jin Air, and some SkyTeam airlines. The first terminal is used by Asiana Airlines and Star Alliance, oneworld, and non-aligned airlines. The concourses are used by LCCs and some SkyTeam airlines, excluding Jin Air, which is handled at the second terminal.

Korea’s hub airport

Almost all of South Korea’s national airlines consider this airport their hub. Additionally, among foreign carriers, Delta Air Lines has designated it as a hub. When including cargo airlines, a total of four foreign carriers, including FedEx, Polar Air Cargo, and Western Global Airlines, have designated it as a hub airport.

Furthermore

It is a globally recognized cargo airport that consistently ranks in the top 2 to 3 positions in the world air cargo handling rankings. As of 2021, it holds the second position. Among the airports in South Korea, it is one of the few airports, along with Jeju International Airport, Cheongju International Airport, and Muan International Airport, that operates around the clock, making it a competitive and 24-hour operational facility.

Utilized for national security purposes

The coastline of Yeongjong Island, where Incheon International Airport is located, is patrolled by the 3rd Guard Division under the 17th Division of the Republic of Korea Army for border security operations. Within the airport, there is an anti-terrorism SWAT team from the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency. Additionally, security personnel from the Incheon International Airport Corporation are also involved in security measures. This multi-faceted approach serves the purpose of preventing terrorism, especially considering the airport’s proximity to the Northern Limit Line (NLL) and the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), as well as its high passenger traffic.

Both the Army and Marine Corps are simultaneously responsible for security, making it a strategically important location. The Incheon Coastal Defense Command, a subordinate unit of the ROK Navy’s 2nd Fleet, is tasked with defending the coastlines of Yeongjong Island and Yongyu Island, while the 2nd Marine Division provides rapid response support. In essence, the Army, Marine Corps, and Airport Police all contribute to ground defense.

Regarding air defense, the radar base and anti-aircraft artillery units located on Yeongjong Island maintain 24-hour surveillance and readiness to intercept any threats in the airspace surrounding Incheon International Airport.

Furthermore, various intelligence agencies, including the National Intelligence Service and the Military Intelligence Command, play a role in counterterrorism, immigration control, and other security aspects.

Please refer to it for entry and exit.

1. Immigration procedures

Complete the “Traveler’s Goods Declaration Form” only if customs inspection is required.
Disembark from the airplane.
If your destination is the terminal, take the shuttle train to the passenger terminal.
Pass through the quarantine inspection (mandatory if required).
Proceed through immigration according to the terminal instructions.
Retrieve your baggage from the appropriate baggage claim area after verifying your flight details.
Exit the arrival area (no re-entry to the arrival area is allowed).
If customs inspection is required, pass through the “Goods to Declare” gate.
If no customs inspection is required, pass through the “Nothing to Declare” gate.
If an entry stamp is required,
Proceed directly to the Ministry of Justice Immigration Service Center.
Present your passport to the immigration officer at the center and request the entry stamp.
Wait briefly for the entry stamp to be confirmed and applied to your passport.

2. Departure procedures.

Verify the correct passenger terminal location before departure.
Receive your boarding pass and check in your checked baggage at the check-in counter.
Enter the departure area.
Passengers who have pre-registered for SmartPass should wait in the SmartPass line to enter the departure area.
Other passengers should wait in the regular (PASSPORT) line and present their passport and boarding pass to enter the departure area.
Pass through the security screening (X-ray) following the instructions of the staff.
If you wish to receive an entry stamp,
Before entering the departure inspection counter, move to the ‘Incheon Airport Immigration Office for Foreigners’ office located at the far right end of the waiting line.
Request guidance from the staff working in the office regarding the entry stamp.
Follow the instructions and proceed to the dedicated immigration inspection counter for diplomats/pregnant women/flight crew (indicated in brown) located at the far right end (just to the left of the office) to receive the entry stamp.
Pass through the departure inspection counter according to the terminal instructions and enter the duty-free area (no re-entry to the general area is allowed).
Confirm the gate number on your boarding pass and proceed to the correct gate.
Passengers using gates 101-132 should enter the terminal using the shuttle train (no entry to Terminal 1 afterward).
Passengers traveling to the United States who are subject to Secondary Security Screening Selection (SSSS) will undergo a secondary security check of their person and baggage at the gate.

To you, who wishes to visit Korea.

I appreciate your interest in Korea, and when you visit Incheon International Airport, I hope you have a positive impression of Korea.

ICN Official site : www.airport.kr