Daegu-Gyeongbuk Integrated New Airport Dramatic Agreement 'Countdown'... Gunwi-gun Gains 'Substantial Benefits'

Gyeongbuk Province and Daegu City 'Military Off-Base Housing' 'Incorporation into Daegu City' Drastic Mediation Proposal Shows Final Push
County Governor Kim Young-man Demands Signatures from Local National Assembly Members and City Councilors... Final

On the 30th, at Gunwi County Office in Gyeongbuk, Lee Cheol-woo, Governor of Gyeongbuk (from the left), Kwon Young-jin, Mayor of Daegu, and Kim Young-man, County Head of Gunwi, are having final discussions to select the relocation site for the Daegu-Gyeongbuk Integrated New Airport.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Dong-wook] On the eve of the deadline for the joint application to host the Daegu-Gyeongbuk Integrated New Airport joint relocation site (Bian-myeon, Uiseong-gun and Sobo-myeon, Gunwi-gun), Gunwi-gun, which had maintained a stance against joint application, has effectively accepted the groundbreaking mediation proposal from Gyeongbuk Province and Daegu City, entering a path toward a dramatic resolution.

Although Gunwi-gun failed in its solo bid for Ubo-myeon, it is now being evaluated that through a 'do-or-die tactic,' the region secured substantial practical benefits such as the placement of military off-base housing within the area, construction of a new city as a hinterland, and incorporation into Daegu City, thereby creating a revolutionary turning point for regional development.

Gyeongbuk Governor Lee Cheol-woo and Daegu Mayor Kwon Young-jin met with Gunwi County Governor Kim Young-man at Gunwi County Office from 11 a.m. on the 30th, continuing with lunch and afternoon meetings to finalize their opinions. At this meeting, Governor Kim expressed his intention to submit the hosting application if all local National Assembly members and city/provincial councilors sign the mediation agreement (joint agreement) proposed the previous day by Daegu City and Gyeongbuk Province.

The joint agreement was signed by the mayor, governor, chairpersons of the city and provincial councils, and National Assembly members representing Daegu and Gyeongbuk, including Gwak Sang-do and Lee Man-hee. Following Governor Kim’s request, the mayor and governor immediately after the meeting asked the chairpersons of the city and provincial councils to obtain signatures from all council members on the mediation proposal.

Prior to this meeting, during a meeting between Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo and Governor Kim Young-man, held at the minister’s invitation the previous day, Minister Jeong proposed a re-vote limited to the Sobo area, but Governor Kim reportedly rejected this, creating a chilly atmosphere.

However, on the morning of the 30th, Governor Kim contacted Governor Lee Cheol-woo to request confirmation of the Ministry of National Defense’s position regarding the 'placement of military off-base housing in Gunwi-gun' included in the mediation proposal, and the Ministry of National Defense indicated a policy of active cooperation, causing the situation to change rapidly.

A senior official from the Ministry of National Defense told Yonhap News Agency on the same day, "The Ministry of National Defense and the Air Force hope to place off-base housing in Gunwi and have a clear determination to do so," clearly stating their intention to actively accept the joint agreement of Daegu City and Gyeongbuk Province.

Earlier on the 29th, the two heads announced a joint agreement containing groundbreaking incentives such as 'promotion of Daegu incorporation' for Gunwi-gun. This agreement includes placing the civilian airport terminal, airport access road, and 'military off-base housing' in Gunwi-gun, and developing airport new towns including hinterland industrial complexes of 3.3 million square meters each in Gunwi-gun and Uiseong-gun until the completion of the airport relocation project.

Additionally, it specifies ▲ establishment of a Daegu-Gyeongbuk civil servant training facility in Gunwi-gun ▲ construction of a thoroughfare through Gunwi-gun until the airport relocation project is completed ▲ incorporation of Gunwi-gun into Daegu City.

A Gyeongbuk Province official said, "Although the deadline is midnight on the 31st, the hosting application can be submitted by sending an official document via email to the Ministry of National Defense, so there is no problem with the paperwork," expressing expectations for a dramatic last-minute resolution.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of National Defense’s Daegu Military Airport Relocation Site Selection Committee decided on the 3rd that the sole candidate site (Ubo-myeon, Gunwi-gun) was unsuitable and postponed the suitability judgment for the joint candidate site (Sobo-myeon, Gunwi-gun and Bian-myeon, Uiseong-gun) until the 31st. Accordingly, if Gunwi-gun does not submit a joint hosting application with Uiseong-gun by the 31st, the new airport project will be canceled.

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