Busan City Protects Igidae Park Preserving the Dinosaur Era

Change of Use to Conservation Green Space on July 1 to Prevent Reckless Development in Preparation for the 'Park Sunset System'

Location map of Igidae Park, Busan. Busan City plans to change the land use of Igidae to a conservation green area in response to the park sunset policy.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] In response to the ‘Park Sunset System’ taking effect from July 1, Busan’s Igidae Park is expected to be preserved from indiscriminate development by changing its land use zone.

On the 22nd, Busan City announced that Igidae Park will be entirely re-designated from the current ‘Natural Green Area’ to ‘Conservation Green Area’.

Since most of Igidae Park is forest land, if designated as a conservation green area, it will become a protected mountain area under the ‘Mountain Management Act,’ where mountain land conversion is basically prohibited, unlike natural green areas. Therefore, private development will be restricted. However, limited development will be allowed for public interest facilities such as housing for farmers and fishermen, natural recreation forests, and schools.

The Park Sunset System is a policy that removes urban park designation if the government or local governments designate an area as an urban planning facility for park establishment but fail to develop the park for over 20 years. According to the Constitutional Court decision, from July 1, 2020, the designation period for such sites will expire (sunset) and the park designation will be lifted.

Igidae Park, along with Taejongdae and Oryukdae, is designated as a national geopark and is also known to be home to various endangered species recently. It is a place of significant geological and ecological value that needs protection.

Currently, of the approximately 2 million square meters of Igidae Park, about 750,000 square meters including the summit area are difficult to purchase due to budget shortages. When the Park Sunset System begins on the 1st of next month, the urban planning facility designation will lose its effect, raising concerns about indiscriminate development and environmental damage.

In response, Busan City plans to designate the entire 1.9 million square meters of this area as a conservation green area to protect Igidae Park as an ecological landmark and a future asset for Busan citizens.

Busan City will announce the draft urban management plan (change) regarding the land use zone change for public inspection on the 24th. Citizens with opinions can submit them to the Busan Metropolitan City Urban Planning Division or the Construction Division of Nam-gu Office, and can also submit opinions online via the Busan Urban Planning Agora.

After collecting opinions, the city plans to complete administrative procedures including consultations with related agencies and departments, hearing opinions from the Busan City Council, and review by the Urban Planning Committee, aiming to finalize the urban management plan by the second half of this year.

Choi Dae-kyung, Director of the Busan City Urban Planning Office, said, “Designating all of Igidae Park as a conservation green area is a decision to align the land use plan with the region’s scenic beauty and its high value as a national ecological and geological asset.” He added, “Although some restrictions on property rights may occur due to the conservation green area designation, this decision was made to protect Busan’s beautiful ecosystem and environment.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.