[Local Grievances Resolved Through Mediation by the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, Accelerating the Bobaebokhap District Development Project]

- Resolving Resident Conflicts and Building a Foundation for Shared Growth

- Bobaebokhap District Development Project Moves Forward to Establish a Manufacturing and Logistics Hub

 

The Busan-Jinhae Free Economic Zone Authority (Commissioner Park Seong-ho, hereinafter “BJFEZ”) announced that on August 27, it signed a mediation agreement with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE), Changwon City, local residents, and the project developer, under the auspices of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC). The agreement brings to an end longstanding disputes between residents of the Dudong area and stakeholders in the Bobaebokhap District Development Project.

 

This settlement is significant in that it resolves years of conflict and establishes a foundation for shared regional development and cooperation.

The Bobaebokhap District Development Project covers 802,000 square meters in Dudong, Jinhae-gu, Changwon, with plans to establish land for education, research, business, and industrial facilities. The developer is pursuing completion of the project by 2027.

 

Major concerns raised by Dudong residents included:

▲The addition of logistics industry facilities to the project’s industrial land in response to rising demand due to the construction of Busan New Port and Gadeokdo New Airport. ▲Anticipated traffic congestion along National Route 2 caused by an increase in heavy truck traffic, and strong opposition to heavy vehicles entering the Dudong area. ▲Allegations of undue benefits for the project developer due to the expansion of industrial land. ▲Relocation of a designated high school site from Dudong to the Bobaebokhap District. ▲Requests for installation of community facilities and allocation of residential land within the district.

 

BJFEZ had held five public meetings and numerous discussions with residents and the developer to find solutions. However, as differences could not be bridged, the project had been suspended for the past six months.

 

In May, Dudong residents filed a grievance with the ACRC, prompting the Commission to conduct an on-site investigation and convene two mediation meetings with BJFEZ, MOTIE, Changwon City, the developer, and local residents. Through these consultations, BJFEZ proposed multiple solutions to address grievances, ultimately leading to the final settlement agreement.

 

Under the agreement:

▲Residents agreed not to oppose changes to the development plan, including the addition of logistics industry land, to accept the Education Office’s position that no school site was required, and to withdraw their demand for residential land. ▲BJFEZ committed to preparing traffic improvement measures for National Route 2 through an expert traffic impact assessment. ▲The project developer agreed to install landscape and environmental facilities, implement restrictions preventing heavy vehicles from entering the Dudong area, and establish resident convenience facilities in consultation with Changwon City and the local community.

 

This agreement secures a foundation for developing one of BJFEZ’s four core strategic industries — integrated logistics and transportation — and is expected to accelerate the creation of a global manufacturing and logistics hub connecting Gadeokdo New Airport and Busan New Port. (BJFEZ’s four core strategic industries: Integrated Logistics & Transportation, Smart Mobility, Advanced Materials & Components, and Bio-Healthcare.)

 

Commissioner Park stated, “With this settlement, the Bobaebokhap District Development Project — suspended for the past six months — will now resume. If the revised development plan is approved by the MOTIE Free Economic Zone Committee in late September, BJFEZ will work together with residents to ensure the project’s swift progress and contribute to the region’s growth and development.”

 

 

※Disclaimer: This document was translated using ChatGPT and may contain minor translation inaccuracies.