Incheon Bupyeong-gu, 'Resident Opposition' Bucheon Ojeong-dong Military Base Relocation Finally 'Approved'

In relation to the relocation of the military base in Ojeong-dong, Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi Province, Cha Jun-taek, head of Incheon Bupyeong District Office, is talking with residents.
[Photo by Incheon Bupyeong District]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] After more than a year of tug-of-war, Bupyeong-gu in Incheon has decided to approve the relocation of the military base in Ojeong-dong, Bucheon-si, within its jurisdiction.

On the 23rd, Bupyeong-gu announced that it plans to accept Bucheon-si's application for construction permission for the military base within the development restriction zone in Ilsin-dong.

For the past year, Bupyeong-gu had repeatedly rejected Bucheon-si's construction permission requests a total of nine times, citing the need for "supplementation." This was largely due to strong opposition from residents of Bugae and Ilsin-dong against the military base relocation.

However, as the supplementation measures reached their limit and Bucheon-si threatened administrative appeals and lawsuits, Bupyeong-gu ultimately decided to grant the construction permission.

Previously, the Ministry of National Defense had decided to integrate and relocate the military bases, including the Ojeong-dong base in Bucheon-si, the 3rd Supply Corps in Sangok-dong, Bupyeong-gu, and the reserve forces training ground, to the vicinity of the 17th Division in Ilsin-dong, Bupyeong-gu.

Bupyeong-gu will accept Bucheon-si's construction permission but plans to reflect as much as possible the opinions proposed at the listening sessions held for residents of Bugae and Ilsin-dong, who are concerned about noise damage from the military airfield and the area's decline and acceleration due to the military base relocation and reorganization.

First, the district will receive 4 billion KRW in resident coexistence support funds from Bucheon-si due to the military base relocation and establish it as a regional development fund. The fund will be used in the areas most needed in the neighborhood, based on residents' consensus.

Additionally, in consultation with Incheon City, plans will be developed to improve residential environments such as traffic conditions near the military base, and to swiftly implement preparations with the Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education for establishing an integrated elementary and middle school to build a new middle school.

Along with this, Bupyeong-gu will review the establishment of an urban regeneration activation plan for the Ilsin Market area, and actively request the city to extend the tram line, currently planned only up to Bupyeong Station as part of the Bupyeong-Yeonan Port tram project promoted by Incheon City, to Ilsin-dong.

Regarding the relocation of the helicopter unit, the district explained that Incheon City is conducting a feasibility study for the relocation, and the Ministry of National Defense has agreed to actively cooperate.

Cha Juntak, head of Bupyeong-gu, said, "When the issue of the Bucheon-si military base relocation was first raised in December last year, there were no measures at all for the Bugae 1-dong and Ilsin-dong areas, which was a bleak situation. Although residents may feel it is insufficient, Bupyeong-gu will do its utmost to play the maximum role it can to revitalize the underdeveloped area."

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