Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn said Wednesday the provincial governments in the southeastern part of the country should accept the outcome of the latest feasibility test on building a new airport, adding it is now time for all sides to join forces for the greater good.

"Although residents of related provinces may have some lingering sense of loss, I would like to ask them to accept the outcome for the greater good of the country as the result was based on a thorough and expert investigation," Hwang said.

On Tuesday, South Korea said it has scrapped a plan to build a new gateway airport in the southeastern region, choosing instead to push for the expansion of Busan's existing Gimhae International Airport.

The announcement was made after French airport engineering company ADPi conducted a year-long feasibility study on two candidate sites for the new international airport -- Miryang, a rural town located between Busan and Daegu, and Busan's Gedeok Island -- and other options.

"The decision took safety, economic efficiency, accessibility, and environment into consideration," Hwang said, adding that the Gimhae expansion project is more like building a new airport, rather than just extending the existing one.

The prime minister added the government will also update the transportation infrastructure that connects the airport to the rest of the region so residents in the southeastern part of the country can use the airport more conveniently. The airport's terminal will also be enlarged.

The government aims to open studies starting in the second half of this year to expand Gimhae, and aim to start the construction work in 2021. The completion of the project is slated for 2026, at which time Gimhae will effectively be transformed into a new airport that can handle many more passengers. (Yonhap)