Korea’s First FBO Set to Open Soon in Seoul

Korea Airport Corp. (KAC) and its partner Avjet Asia expect to open their new FBO at Seoul’s Gimpo International Airport next month. The Gimpo Business Aviation Center, which will effectively be the first purpose-built FBO in South Korea, includes a passenger terminal with customs and immigration controls and a large hangar that can accommodate up to eight large jets simultaneously.

Avjet Asia will manage the FBO under an agreement made with KAC in December 2013, providing all standard ground handling services. In the future, the Seoul-based subsidiary of U.S. private aviation group Avjet Corp., may consider partnerships to expand the range of services the facility offers to include aircraft maintenance.

In addition to attracting traffic specifically operating in and out of South Korea, Avjet Corp. chairman and CEOMarc Foulkrod believes the new FBO will become a popular transit stop for business aviation traffic in northeast Asia. Seoul is less than a two-hour flight to Beijing.

Gimpo International Airport is located just 14 kilometers (nine miles) west of the Seoul’s downtown district. The South Korean capital’s main gateway, Incheon International Airport, is 48 km (30 miles) from the city center.

Last month, Avjet Corp. sold its aircraft management and charter division to Jet Aviation. Avjet’s managed fleet includes a mix of Boeing Business Jets, Gulfstream 650s and Hawker 800s. Avjet Asia was not part of this acquisition and remains under Foulkrod’s ownership, along with aircraft sales and brokerage business Avjet Global Sales and Avjet Pagosa Springs.