Taejon Airfield

Urban expansion and redevelopment. The airfield was located in what became a prime central area of Daejeon. The South Korean government designated the site for the construction of the Dunsan New Town (둔산신도시), a major administrative, commercial, and residential district. The land was needed for the Daejeon Government Complex, City Hall, and other critical urban infrastructure. Its closure was also facilitated by the strategic decision to consolidate regional air traffic at the larger, more modern Cheongju International Airport, located about 40 km north of Daejeon.

The site of the former Taejon Airfield has been completely and densely redeveloped. It is now the Dunsan New Town, the modern administrative, financial, and commercial heart of Daejeon. There are no visible remnants of the airport. Key landmarks located on the former airfield land include:

- **Daejeon Government Complex (정부대전청사):** A major government center housing numerous national agencies.
- **Daejeon City Hall (대전광역시청)**
- **Supreme Court of Korea and Patent Court of Korea**
- **Boramae Park (보라매공원):** The park's name, meaning 'Hawk Park,' is a direct tribute to its past as an air force base. It features an F-4 Phantom and an F-86 Sabre fighter jet on display as monuments to its aviation history.
- **Extensive residential apartment complexes, office towers, and shopping centers.**

The main east-west thoroughfare of the district, **Hanbat-daero (한밭대로)**, was constructed directly over the alignment of the former main runway.

Taejon Airfield, also known by its Korean War designation K-5, holds significant military history.

- **Korean War:** It was a crucial forward operating base for the United States Air Force (USAF) and other UN forces. It was established in July 1950 and was heavily contested, being captured by North Korean forces and subsequently recaptured by UN forces. It supported numerous combat and transport operations, hosting aircraft such as F-51 Mustangs, F-80 Shooting Stars, and C-47 Skytrain transports. The base played a vital role during the Battle of Taejon and in supporting operations around the Pusan Perimeter.

- **Post-War Era:** After the armistice, it continued to operate as a Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) base. For a period, it also handled limited domestic civilian flights for the city of Daejeon before all air services were consolidated and moved to Cheongju.

- **Designation:** Its military designation was K-5, part of the 'K-site' system of airbases established during the Korean War. The unofficial ICAO code KR-1106 was likely a later, domestic designation.

None. There are zero prospects for reopening the airport. The land has been fully integrated into the urban core of a major metropolitan city and is among the most developed and valuable real estate in Daejeon. The city and the surrounding Chungcheong province are effectively served by Cheongju International Airport (IATA: CJJ, ICAO: RKTU), making a new airport within Daejeon's city limits both unnecessary and physically impossible.