KIND

Construction Begins on KRW 4.7 Trillion Tashkent New Airport

KIND Launches Full-Scale Support for ‘K-Airport Exports'

The Korea Overseas Infrastructure & Urban Development Corporation (hereinafter referred to as KIND, President Bok-hwan Kim) announced that President Kim attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the Tashkent New Airport Construction Project held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on October 15 (local time).

This event officially marked the commencement of a large-scale overseas airport project led by Vision Invest, a Saudi Arabian infrastructure development institution, with Japan’s Sojitz Corporation, KIND, and Incheon International Airport Corporation participating as co-developers.

The Tashkent New Airport project, valued at approximately KRW 4.7 trillion, aims to construct and operate a new international airport 35 kilometers south of Tashkent to address saturation at the existing airport and accommodate the city’s expansion. The project will handle 17 million passengers annually in the first phase and 54 million in the second phase, with a total operation period of 45 years. As the capital airport project of Uzbekistan, which has strong economic growth potential, it holds significant strategic advantages.

In addition to the Tashkent New Airport project, KIND is supporting Korean airport operators in various overseas airport development tenders by jointly participating from the bidding stage through feasibility study assistance, proposal preparation support, and cost-sharing arrangements.

KIND is collaborating with Incheon International Airport Corporation on the Urgench Airport project in Uzbekistan and two airport development projects in Montenegro, and with Korea Airports Corporation on the Luang Prabang Airport modernization project in Laos. Together with airport operators, construction companies, and design/CM firms, KIND is actively working to promote the export of “K-Airport” in the global airport PPP market.

President Bok-hwan Kim stated, “The Tashkent New Airport project is a large-scale infrastructure development in Central Asia jointly promoted by companies from Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Japan, and financed by multiple Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) and Export Credit Agencies (ECAs). It serves as an important stepping stone for expanding the presence of Korean companies in the Central Asian and global airport development markets.” He added, “KIND will continue to actively identify and support overseas investment and development projects in cooperation with various domestic companies, striving to enhance the global competitiveness of ‘Team Korea.’”

As a key institution for Korea’s overseas infrastructure export strategy linked with government policy, KIND plans to continuously expand its support for Korean companies’ overseas advancement in various social overhead capital (SOC) sectors, including airports, ports, roads, and railways.