Yangjae Urban High-Tech Logistics Complex to Create 'Packaging Waste-Free Logistics System'

At the 'Discussion for Collaborative Development of Urban Advanced Logistics Complex' Hosted by Seoul Metropolitan Council on the Afternoon of the 30th, Harim Industrial Yangjae Urban Advanced Logistics Complex Reveals Six Major Visions Including Fundamental Prevention of Delivery Waste Generation and 100% Food Waste Recycling... Experts Unite in Urging Urgent Establishment, Clarifying That Incentives Provided Under Public Infrastructure Development Laws, Which Differ Completely from General Urban Development Procedures, Are Misconstrued as 'Special Privileges'

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Harim Industry, which is promoting the Urban High-tech Logistics Complex project on the Harim site (former Korea Truck Terminal) located in Yangjae-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, announced on the 30th six major vision plans for the Yangjae Urban High-tech Logistics Complex project: ▲ fundamental prevention of delivery waste generation ▲ 100% recycling of food waste ▲ clean energy transportation ▲ safe and pleasant workplaces for delivery workers ▲ incubator for advanced convergence industries ▲ bridge for win-win development between rural and urban areas and small and medium enterprises.

At the ‘Discussion for Cooperative Development of Urban High-tech Logistics Complex’ hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Council’s Urban Planning Management Committee on the same day, Harim Industry stated that it aims to change the logistics distribution paradigm and provide momentum for fostering new industries by establishing essential urban infrastructure in the era of non-face-to-face economy, thereby contributing to raising Seoul’s urban competitiveness to the next level.

Kim Ki-man, CEO of Harim Industry, who participated as a discussant, said, “Since the site was previously planned for a complex distribution center project, there are misunderstandings that a similar urban development project is being pursued again. However, the Yangjae Urban High-tech Logistics Complex development project was first introduced with the enforcement of the Logistics Facilities Act in 2016 and is a public logistics distribution infrastructure project with no prior cases, fundamentally different from general urban development projects.”

He added, “The Seoul city urban planning department has previously argued that the site already has a floor area ratio standard of 400% or that public contributions are insufficient relative to the development scale. This is likely due to a mistaken fixed notion that the Urban High-tech Logistics Complex project must be carried out within the existing framework of the National Land Planning Act.” He rebutted, “It denies the purpose of the Logistics Facilities Act and related regulations, which promote development by providing incentives defined by law, such as batch review and agenda processing of complex urban planning procedures like district unit plan changes, floor area ratio, and public contributions.”

He continued, “Regarding the incentives defined by law, the Seoul city urban planning department preemptively assumes ‘there will be controversy over special treatment’ or even presents figures including underground areas in the floor area ratio to frame it as overdevelopment, which is an incomprehensible act.”

In particular, Harim Industry criticized Seoul city’s Shim Jae-wook, head of the Facility Planning Division, for emphasizing the relatively low public contribution rate of the Urban High-tech Logistics Complex development project by comparing it with Hyundai Motor’s GBC project during the discussion, stating, “It is a distortion of facts and an intention to provoke issues of fairness or special treatment to hide the fact that the GBC site, which was a third-class general residential area, was upgraded three levels to a general commercial area, and only horizontally compare public contribution rates.”

Through the discussion paper, Harim Industry detailed its plan to transform the complex logistics system paradigm such as delivery packaging and multi-modal transport in the Yangjae Urban High-tech Logistics Complex, eliminating delivery waste and consumer costs, and drastically reducing public environmental costs caused by waste and air pollution, establishing the world’s first new-concept logistics distribution infrastructure.

Additionally, all waste generated within the Yangjae Urban High-tech Logistics Complex will be recycled on-site at a resource regeneration center installed and operated underground, presenting a new model for urban waste management.

In particular, food waste will be collected immediately in a fresh state, dried, crushed, and 100% recycled as feed raw material.

Furthermore, it explained plans to convert delivery jobs into ‘safe and quality jobs’ through comfortable rest areas, safety automation equipment replacing high-intensity labor, and delivery efficiency improvements by optimizing delivery areas and routes.

It also stated that by reducing unnecessary intermediate distribution, it will enhance the economic benefits of urban consumers and realize urban-rural win-win logistics that contribute to the development of local small and medium enterprises and agricultural industries through stable linkage and market expansion, thus serving as a bridge for the win-win development of rural areas, cities, and SMEs.

Harim Industry emphasized, “Opinions from government ministries, Seoul city departments, and related departments regarding the necessity, designation, and development procedures of the Urban High-tech Logistics Complex are almost unanimous. Since it is a social infrastructure that enhances the urban competitiveness of Seoul citizens and has great public value, and the project itself has the nature of public contribution, it must be urgently promoted according to laws and procedures.”

At the event, Kwon Hyuk-gu, head of the Global Logistics and Infrastructure Research Team at the Korea Transport Institute, who was responsible for the presentation, spoke about the background, purpose, necessity, expected effects, and development plans of the Urban High-tech Logistics Complex system.

Kwon Hyuk-gu explained, “The newly introduced Urban High-tech Logistics Complex is a complex development of advanced logistics facilities, upstream facilities, and support facilities for fostering and developing the logistics industry and related industries. The lower floors house logistics distribution facilities, while the upper floors are allocated for residential and office facilities, allowing the complexification of logistics, upstream, support, and advanced industries.”

He continued, “The Urban High-tech Logistics Complex integrates advanced logistics with industrial, distribution, and IT functions, and handles automated equipment construction and industry-linked services such as online malls in a unified manner. In response to changes in Seoul’s logistics environment, it is necessary to establish logistics infrastructure that responds to lifestyle logistics demand based on convergence industry foundations like the Urban High-tech Logistics Complex and to develop logistics industry strategies.”

Meanwhile, the discussion chaired by Kim Hee-geol, chairman of the Seoul Metropolitan Council’s Urban Planning Management Committee, under the theme ‘Seeking Desirable Promotion Plans for the Smooth Development of Seoul’s Urban High-tech Logistics Complex,’ included presentations by Kwon Hyuk-gu of the Korea Transport Institute and participation from Kim Sang-il, head of Labor-Management Information at Seoul Institute, Cheon Sang-hyun, professor of Urban Engineering at Hongik University, Ha Heon-gu, professor of Asia-Pacific Logistics at Inha University, Kim Ki-man, CEO of Harim Industry, Shim Jae-wook, head of Facility Planning Division of Seoul city, and Jo Young-chang, head of Taxi Logistics Division of Seoul city. The discussants unanimously agreed on the necessity and urgency of the Urban High-tech Logistics Complex.

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