Gangneung Air Base
Facility Details
| Operating Country | 🇰🇷 South Korea |
| Location | 🇰🇷 South Korea |
| Status | Active |
| Usage | Military only |
| Operating Organization | Republic of Korea Air Force |
| Units |
18th fighter wing
|
| Coordinates | 37.7533°N, 128.9436°E |
| Elevation | 11 m (36 ft) |
| IATA code | KAG |
| ICAO code | RKNN |
| Runways |
08/26 · 2,743 m (8,999 ft) · Concrete
|
Description
Gangneung Air Base is located in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, South Korea. Owned and operated by the Republic of Korea Air Force, the facility hosts the 18th Fighter Wing.
During the Korean War, the United States Air Force designated the site as K-18. In 1969, a Korean Air Lines YS-11 departing from the base for Gimpo International Airport was hijacked by a North Korean agent and diverted to North Korea. Eleven of those on board, including all four crew members and seven passengers, were not returned to South Korea.
The base previously supported commercial aviation until passenger services were terminated on April 2, 2002, coinciding with the opening of Yangyang International Airport. The airfield is currently equipped with an Instrument Landing System (ILS).
On October 5, 2022, a major explosion occurred at the facility during a failed ballistic missile test.
- AUG 132026 Updated Runway designations, surfaces and lengths recorded
- JAN 172026 Updated Secondary name removed
- JAN 122026 Created Page created: Gangneung Air Base; then secondary name, organization and usage added