Departure
96%
vs 95% ▲ 1
MY FS FLIGHTS
MY FS FLIGHTS
Gimpo International Airport lies at the far western edge of Seoul, South Korea, and today serves as the capital's secondary airport, handling domestic traffic and a limited range of international routes to Japan and China. For the simulator pilot it offers a pair of long, parallel hard-surfaced runways with full ILS coverage, set within the dense airspace of the Seoul metropolitan area, and a history stretching back to its construction as a Japanese Imperial Army airfield in 1939.
Gimpo International Airport (IATA: GMP, ICAO: RKSS) sits in Gonghang-dong, Gangseo-gu, in the far western end of Seoul, roughly 15 kilometres west of the city centre. It is operated by the Korea Airports Corporation and served as South Korea's principal international gateway until Incheon International Airport took over that role in 2001; Gimpo now functions as Seoul's secondary airport, handling most domestic flights alongside a smaller number of international services to nearby cities in Japan and China. For a simulator pilot, its combination of two very long parallel hard runways, full ILS approaches, and a position deep within Seoul's controlled airspace make it a demanding and rewarding destination.
Gimpo lies south of the Han River in western Seoul, within the dense controlled airspace of the Seoul metropolitan area. Arrivals and departures are handled by Seoul Approach on 120.8 MHz and Seoul Departure on 125.15 MHz, with clearance delivery on 122.6 MHz, reflecting the airport's position amid layered terminal control serving both Gimpo and nearby Incheon International Airport.
Gimpo has two parallel physical runways aligned 14/32. The longer runway, 14L/32R, is 11,790 feet long with a hard surface, lit, and equipped with ILS on both ends. The second, 14R/32L, is 10,470 feet long, also hard-surfaced, lit, and served by ILS on both ends. Both runways are substantial enough to accommodate the full range of airliner traffic using the field.
Gimpo Tower operates on 118.1 MHz, with Ground on 121.9 MHz. Seoul Approach is on 120.8 MHz and Seoul Departure on 125.15 MHz. Clearance delivery is provided on 122.6 MHz, and ATIS is broadcast on 126.4 MHz. An air-to-ground Seoul Radio service is also available on 127.1 MHz and 1330.3 MHz, with an additional coordination frequency, Brickwall ACP, on 120 MHz. Both runways are equipped with ILS, supporting instrument approaches in the often hazy or overcast conditions typical of the Seoul basin.
The airfield was built in 1939 during the Japanese colonial period as an Imperial Army base, known then as Keijo New Airfield, constructed with four runways to supplement the smaller Keijo Airfield in the city (later Yeouido Airport). The runways were built on a bed of rocks manually hauled by Korean labourers from Kaihwasan and Yangchan, several miles away. Gimpo played a major role in the Korean War, being designated Kimpo Air Base or K-14 by the USAF. On 25 June 1950, North Korean forces attacked the airfield, destroying a US Military Air Transport Service C-54 Skymaster on the ground. On 27 June, US forces evacuated hundreds of diplomats, military dependents and civilians by air from Kimpo and Suwon. That same afternoon, F-82 Twin Mustangs escorting C-54s out of Kimpo fought the first air battle of the war, downing three La-7 fighters, and F-80Cs of the 35th Fighter-Bomber Squadron achieved the USAF's first jet victory over the base, downing four Il-10s. Gimpo fell to North Korean forces shortly after the capture of Seoul on 28 June 1950, and was bombed by B-29s of the 19th Bomb Group on 29 June. Through July it was used by North Korean forces to stage air attacks, prompting a US strike on 15 July that damaged the runway, and a further US attack on 5 August destroyed nine aircraft there. Following the Inchon landings, the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines seized Gimpo on 17-18 September 1950, finding the airfield largely intact. US Army engineers quickly restored rail links and began flying in fuel and ordnance, and the 811th Engineer Aviation Battalion repaired bomb damage to the runway with Marston matting from late September. The airport formally opened for civil use on 30 January 1958 and went on to serve as Seoul's main international airport until Incheon International Airport opened in 2001, after which Gimpo took on its present secondary role, still ranking as one of Korea's busiest airports for domestic traffic.
Gimpo continues to operate as Seoul's secondary airport, handling the bulk of domestic flights within South Korea alongside a limited set of international services to cities including Tokyo Haneda, Osaka Kansai, Shanghai Hongqiao, Beijing Capital and Taipei Songshan. It remains a hub base for Korean Air and Asiana Airlines and an operating base for several other Korean carriers. The airport is equipped with full instrument approach capability on both runways, supporting operations in the region's often hazy conditions.