Governor Won Hee-ryong Firmly States, "Changing the Animal Theme Park Project Without Considering Ecosystem Protection Is Difficult"

Announcement of Clean Jeju Songak Declaration Action No. 2... "If consultation with local residents is not possible, project changes cannot be approved"

Jeon Hee-ryong, Governor of Jeju Province, held a press conference at the Jeju Provincial Government press room on the morning of the 15th to announce the 'Songak Declaration Follow-up Measure No. 2.' Photo by Jeju Special Self-Governing Province

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters (Jeju) Reporter Park Chang-won] Won Hee-ryong, Governor of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, has made it clear that it is practically difficult to approve the animal theme park plan that Daemyung Group is promoting to build in the mid-mountain area.

According to Jeju Province on the 16th, Governor Won stated through the “Clean Jeju Songak Declaration Implementation Measure No. 2” announced the day before, “If the animal theme park operator fails to have sincere consultations with local residents and the Ramsar Wetlands City Regional Management Committee, the project changes cannot be approved.”

The Jeju animal theme park plan is a large-scale project investing 168.4 billion won on a 580,000㎡ (about 180,000 pyeong) site near Seonheul-ri, Jocheon-eup, Jeju City.

The project plan, first approved in 2007, started as a theme park project centered on horses, pigs, and pets, but since the current operator acquired it in 2016, it has been undergoing procedures to change the plan to include predators such as lions and tigers and exotic species.

Earlier, on the 25th of last month, Governor Won announced through the “Clean Jeju Songak Declaration” (Jeju’s Promise for the Next Generation), “In handling the issue of reckless development to protect Clean Jeju, we will apply the principles of cleanliness and coexistence and proceed through legal procedures.” He also disclosed follow-up measures for the Songaksan Recreation Area project.

Jeju Province, through the review of the Urban and Architecture Joint Committee, set the condition on November 16, 2018, that “it will proceed after consultation with local residents and Ramsar Wetlands City stakeholders.”

Also, during the environmental conservation plan review stage following changes in environmental impact assessment consultations twice in April and December last year, it was suggested that “it is necessary to verify the facts of consultation contents with the opposition committee residents and the Ramsar Wetlands City Regional Management Committee, which are the core issues.”

However, it has been reported that the project operator has not been able to lead sincere consultations with local residents and the Ramsar Wetlands City Regional Committee until recently.

Moreover, conflicts continue as local residents are divided into a promotion committee and an opposition countermeasure committee over support and opposition to the development project.

Governor Won said, “In the COVID-19 situation, it is necessary to carefully consider whether the introduction of exotic animal species can harmonize with the ecological value of Clean Jeju,” adding, “It will be difficult to proceed with further change approval procedures without meeting the resident consultation conditions.”

He emphasized, “Even if future procedures proceed in compliance with legal procedures, as the final approval authority, I will thoroughly review these issues and decide whether to approve the change of the development project.”

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