Seoul(Gangseo-gu)
, The Western Part of the Seoul
Gimpo International Airport, located in Gangseo-gu neighborhood in Seoul, was first established in 1939 as a military facility by the Japanese Army. After Korea regained its independence from Japan, the facility continued to be used by the American Air Force until 1957. The airport was officially designated an international airport by a presidential mandate in 1958, and it started to function as one after 1971. Since then, Gimpo International Airport has been a major gateway of Korea.With the opening of the Incheon International Airport in 2001, the main function of Gimpo Airport shifted from that of an international airport to that of a domestic airport. However, it still remains one of the representative airports of Korea, serving millions of travelers every year. Recently the airport has expanded its facilities to include Sky City, a large multi-purpose leisure and shopping complex.