# Gimhae Air Base

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Airbase in South Korea

For the civilian use of this facility, see [Gimhae International Airport](/source/Gimhae_International_Airport).

"Pusan Air Base" redirects here; not to be confused with [Pusan East Air Base](/source/Pusan_East_Air_Base).

Gimhae Air Base 김해공군기지 Gimhae Gonggun Kige Kimhae Konggun Kige Gimhae Air Base IATA: PUS ICAO: RKPK Summary Airport type Military / Public Operator Republic of Korea Air Force Location Busan Elevation AMSL 6 ft / 2 m Coordinates 35°10′46″N 128°56′18″E / 35.17944°N 128.93833°E / 35.17944; 128.93833 Website [1] Map Gimhae AB Show map of South Korea Gimhae AB Show map of Asia Gimhae AB Show map of North Pacific Gimhae AB Show map of Earth Runways Direction Length Surface m ft 18L/36R 2,745 9,007 Asphalt 18R/36L 3,200 10,499 Concrete Source: Korea Airports Corporation[1]

**Gimhae Air Base** ([IATA](/source/IATA_airport_code): **PUS**, [ICAO](/source/ICAO_airport_code): **RKPK**) is a [Republic of Korea Air Force](/source/Republic_of_Korea_Air_Force) (ROKAF) base adjacent to [Gimhae International Airport](/source/Gimhae_International_Airport). Runway 18L/36R is used for military purposes only.

## Units

The base is home to the ROKAF's 5th Tactical Airlift Wing (제5전술공수비행단), comprising:

- 251st Tactical Air Support Squadron flying the [C-130H](/source/C-130H) and C-130H-30

- 258th Tactical Support Squadron flying the CN235-100M and CN235-220M

- 259th Tactical Air Support Squadron flying the [UH-60](/source/UH-60)P

The ROKAF's 4 [Boeing 737 AEW&C *Peace Eye*](/source/Boeing_737_AEW%26C) aircraft were all delivered to the base which is to be the home base for the aircraft.[2][3]

Until September 2010 a contingent of United States Air Force personnel of the 607th Materiel Maintenance Squadron served in a co-located operating base on Gimhae Air Base.[4]

## History

The base was originally established during the [Korean War](/source/Korean_War) as Pusan West (K-1) Air Base and hosted [United States Air Force](/source/United_States_Air_Force) and [United States Marine Corps](/source/United_States_Marine_Corps) units.[5]

On 25 June 1950, 10 divisions of the [North Korean People's Army](/source/Korean_People's_Army) attacked the Republic of Korea. The North Koreans quickly overwhelmed the [South Korean Army](/source/Republic_of_Korea_Army) and moved south. Following the passing of [United Nations Security Council Resolution 83](/source/United_Nations_Security_Council_Resolution_83) on 27 June 1950, [President Truman](/source/Harry_S._Truman) ordered US forces to defend the Republic of Korea. On 30 June 1950 [C-54s](/source/Douglas_C-54_Skymaster) of the [Fifth Air Force](/source/Fifth_Air_Force) began transporting a battalion of the [24th Infantry Division](/source/24th_Infantry_Division_(United_States)) from [Itazuke Air Base](/source/Itazuke_Air_Base) to K-1, however the weight of the C-54s damaged the runway and later flights were made using [C-47s](/source/Douglas_C-47_Skytrain). On 2 July the Battalion, known as Task Force Smith, boarded trains to [Taejon](/source/Taejon) and was destroyed on 4 July in the [Battle of Osan](/source/Battle_of_Osan).[6]

On 7 July 1950 two [L-5s](/source/Stinson_L-5_Sentinel) and an [SC-47](/source/Douglas_C-47_Skytrain) from the [3rd Air Rescue Squadron](/source/563d_Rescue_Group) (3rd ARS) deployed to K-1 from [Ashiya AB](/source/Ashiya_Air_Field) in Japan, but the aircraft proved unsuitable for the terrain and returned to Japan on 16 July.[7] On 30 August, the 3rd ARS formally organized Detachment F, with six [H-5s](/source/Sikorsky_H-5) at K-1. Following the success of the [Inchon landing](/source/Inchon_landing) Detachment F moved north to [Seoul (K-16) Air Base](/source/Seoul_Air_Base).[8]

On 24 December 1950 the Air Defense Section of [Marine Tactical Air Control Squadron 2](/source/Marine_Air_Support_Squadron_2) was deployed to K-1 to establish a tactical air command center.[9]

By April 1951 K-1 served as the headquarters of the [First Marine Air Wing](/source/1st_Marine_Aircraft_Wing) and [Marine Aircraft Group 12](/source/Marine_Aircraft_Group_12) was based at K-1 to provide aircraft for combat missions and special missions. [VMA-513](/source/VMA-513) flying [F7Fs](/source/Grumman_F7F_Tigercat) and [F4U-5Ns](/source/Vought_F4U_Corsair) were flying out of K-1 and providing the sole night fighter air defense and interdiction support to all UN forces in Korea.

On 31 May 1951 a US Navy [R5D-3](/source/Douglas_C-54_Skymaster) #56513 hit a mountain at the end of the base killing all 5 passengers and crew.[10]

In November 1951 the 1903rd Aviation Engineer Battalion arrived at K-1 and relieved the [First Marine Air Wing](/source/1st_Marine_Aircraft_Wing) of all responsibilities for maintaining the base and runways. Maintenance responsibility was later assumed by the 366th Aviation Battalion.

A ROKAF Tachikawa Ki-9 at K-1 in 1951

From October to December 1952, the [17th Bombardment Wing](/source/17th_Training_Wing) was based at K-1 to allow for the resurfacing of the [Pusan East (K-9) Air Base](/source/Pusan_East_(K-9)_Air_Base) runway from [PSP](/source/Marsden_Matting) to asphalt.

The base was the venue of a bilateral meeting between [President Trump](/source/Donald_Trump) and [President Xi](/source/Xi_Jinping) on October 30, 2025, where the two leaders agreed to ease trade restrictions between the U.S. and China, especially regarding [rare-earths](/source/Rare-earth_element) and [tariffs](/source/Tariff).[11][12]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-KAC_1-0)** ["Gimhae International Airport"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130519110825/http://www.airport.co.kr/mbs/gimhaeeng/). Korea Airports Corporation. Archived from [the original](http://www.airport.co.kr/mbs/gimhaeeng/) on 19 May 2013. Retrieved 21 May 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Korea gets 1st early warning aircraft"](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2011/08/205_92015.html). [The Korea Times](/source/The_Korea_Times). August 1, 2011. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110811230036/http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2011/08/205_92015.html) from the original on 2011-08-11.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["First ROKAF Peace Eye Boeing 737 AEW&C Delivered"](http://www.key.aero/view_article.asp?ID=3965&thisSection=military). Key Aero. 21 September 2011. Retrieved 21 May 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Materiel maintenance squadron consolidating to K-2 Air Base"](http://www.stripes.com/news/pacific/korea/materiel-maintenance-squadron-consolidating-to-k-2-air-base-1.111133). Stars and Stripes. 15 July 2010. Retrieved 21 May 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** NMUSAF (May 12, 2015). ["K-Bases in Korea"](https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/Museum-Exhibits/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/196394/k-bases-in-korea/). [National Museum of the United States Air Force](/source/National_Museum_of_the_United_States_Air_Force).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Leary, William (2008). *Anything, Anywhere, Anytime: Combat Cargo in the Korean War*. DIANE Publishing. p. 1. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781428990555](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781428990555).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Marion, Forrest (2004). *That Others May Live: USAF Air Rescue in Korea*. Government Printing Office. p. 1. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780160876257](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780160876257).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["The rise of the helicopter during the Korean War"](http://www.historynet.com/the-rise-of-the-helicopter-during-the-korean-war.htm). History Net. 2011-01-16. Retrieved 22 May 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Marine Air Support Squadron 2"](https://www.1stmaw.marines.mil/Subordinate-Units/Marine-Air-Control-Group-18/MASS-2/About/). United States Marine Corps. Retrieved 22 May 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["ASN Aircraft Accident Douglas R5D-3"](http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19510530-0). Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 22 May 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Trump lowers tariffs on China to 47% after meeting with Xi"](http://www.euronews.com/2025/10/30/trump-announces-deal-with-china-after-face-face-talks-with-xi-in-south-korea). *euronews*. 2025-10-30. Retrieved 2025-10-31.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Fadel, Leila (2025-10-30). ["Trump, Xi and the U.S.-China Relationship"](https://www.npr.org/2025/10/30/nx-s1-5591370/trump-xi-and-the-u-s-china-relationship). *NPR*. Retrieved 2025-10-31.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Gimhae Air Base](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimhae_Air_Base) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimhae_Air_Base?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.