Local Government Heads Back on the Streets... Cannot Overlook Traffic Congestion and Green Space Damage in Busan Gijang Ilgwang

Ok Yu-seok, Mayor of Gijang County, 11th Solo Protest Against Apartment Construction in Samdeok District

On the 16th at 10:25 a.m., Oh Gyuseok, the mayor of Busan's Gijang County, held the 11th solo protest in front of Busan City Hall opposing the approval of the housing construction project plan for the Ilgwang Samdeok district.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] Oh Gyu-seok, mayor of Busan's Gijang County, held a one-person protest at 10:25 a.m. on the 16th in front of Busan City Hall, opposing the approval of the housing construction project plan in the Samdeok district of Ilgwang-myeon.

The street protest carried out in the rain that day was the 11th demonstration against the 'Samdeok district'.

Samdeok district, adjacent to Ilgwang New Town, is a site where Yurim Comprehensive Construction plans to change the existing Type 1 General Residential Area to Type 2 General Residential Area and modify the district unit plan including some natural green areas to build about 1,500 apartment units.

In March, Yurim Comprehensive Construction submitted the housing construction project plan to Busan City.

Gijang County strongly opposed the traffic management plan for the Samdeok district housing construction project at two traffic impact assessment committee meetings held by Busan City on August 6 and October 1, citing inadequacies.

Subsequently, they succeeded in obtaining a decision for a re-examination of the traffic impact assessment regarding the district unit plan change (housing construction project) for Ilgwang Samdeok district.

However, as the construction company continues to announce plans to proceed with the project, Mayor Oh Gyu-seok of Gijang County took to the streets again.

This was to convey the position that the project is absolutely unacceptable due to the severe traffic congestion in the Ilgwang New Town area and the resulting harm to residents.

Mayor Oh stated, “Recently, at the traffic impact assessment review for Ilgwang Samdeok district, a re-examination decision was made again. The project side is only presenting supplementary measures aimed at hastily passing the review, rather than addressing fundamental problems and seeking solutions.”

He added, “Such makeshift measures are absolutely unacceptable for the project plan. I will continue the one-person protests to block the approval of the housing construction project.”

Mayor Oh views the Samdeok district plan as causing not only traffic congestion in the Ilgwang New Town area but also numerous problems such as forest and green space destruction due to indiscriminate development and isolation of the nearby Hoenggye village.

Gijang County judges that the Ilgwang Samdeok district is unsuitable as a site for apartment complexes.

They also oppose Busan City’s approval to change the district unit plan zone from Type 1 General Residential Area to Type 2 General Residential Area to allow high-rise apartment construction in Samdeok district, arguing that it grants private benefits and privileges over public interest.

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