A pending bill for establishing an aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul complex at Incheon Airport is expected to be passed by the National Assembly soon, reports said Wednesday, which will fuel progress in the long-awaited project.

Incheon International Airport Corp., which operates the nation’s key air hub, has been seeking for nearly a year to build an MRO cluster near the airport in Yeongjong-do. It is expected to attract local and foreign companies related to aviation maintenance and flight training while contributing to the growth of the regional economy. 

The bill was proposed by a ruling Democratic Party lawmaker in Incheon in May last year and presented to the Land Infrastructure and Transport Committee at the assembly in March. It has been pending at parliament due to other proposals that were prioritized.

Authorities say the bill will be passed swiftly as sufficient consultations have been held with the current administration.

If the bill is passed, it will give legal grounds for authorities to pursue the establishment of the complex.

The city of Incheon has been pushing for the MRO project due to a lack of aircraft maintenance services at Incheon Airport, which has led to heavy reliance on foreign outsourcing of aircraft maintenance. The outsourcing reportedly costs the government about 4 trillion won ($3.4 billion) annually.

(mkjung@heraldcorp.com)